Major League Season RecapMajor League Baseball Season Recap 1996

kirby puckett

 

VINTAGE BASEBALL MEMORABILIA

Vintage Baseball Memorabilia

Awards and More

 

World Series – New York Yankees AL over Atlanta Braves NL 4 games to 2

World Series MVP – John Wetteland
Babe Ruth Award – Cecil Fielder

Championship Series
ALCS New York Yankees over Baltimore Orioles 4 games to 1 ALCS MVP – Bernie Williams
NLCS Atlanta Braves over St. Louis Cardinals 4 games to 3 NLCS MVP – Javy Lopez

Divisional Series
ALDS1
Baltimore Orioles over Cleveland Indians 3 games to 1

ALDS2
New York Yankees over Texas Rangers 3 games to 1

NLDS1
Atlanta Braves over Los Angeles Dodgers 3 games to 0

NLDS2
St. Louis Cardinals over San Diego Padres 3 games to 0

WILD CARD GAMES
AWC over to
NWC over to

Awards –

Cy Young Award National League John Smoltz
Cy Young Award American League Pat Hentgen

MVP Awards –
NL Ken Caminiti
AL Juan Gonzalez

NL Rookie of The Year – hollato01
AL Rookie of The Year – Derek Jeter

Roberto Clemente Award – Kirby Puckett

All-Star Game – July 9th – N.L. over A.L. , played at Veterans Stadium (NL)
AL Starter C. Nagy NL Starter J. Smoltz+ MVP M. Piazza+

1970 Season on YOUTUBE CHANNEL – relive your favorite memories from 1970!

 

on Full Radio Broadcasts | Interviews  | WORLD SERIES Highlights | PODCAST

 

VINTAGE BASEBALL MEMORABILIA

Vintage Baseball Memorabilia

The New York Yankees win their first World Series in 18 years, defeating the Atlanta Braves in six games. Closer John Wetteland won the World Series MVP award by earning saves in all four victories. Blue Jays hurler Pat Hentgen (20-10, 3.22 ERA) edged out New York’s Andy Pettitte (21-8, 3.87 ERA) for the AL Cy Young award in one of the closest votes in league history. Atlanta pitcher John Smoltz easily won that award in the National League with a 24-8 record, a 2.94 ERA, and 276 strikeouts. Texas OF Juan Gonzalez and San Diego 3B Ken Caminiti were named Most Valuable Players in their respective leagues. Milestones and Moments from 1996 – Jim Bunning and Earl Weaver were elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee…Umpire John McSherry collapsed and died of a heart attack in the first inning on Opening Day in Cincinnati…Yankees SS Derek Jeter won the American League Rookie of the Year award, hitting .314 with 10 HR, 78 RBI, 104 R, and 14 SB.

World Series – 

World Series MVP – 
Babe Ruth Award – 

 

 

 

VINTAGE BASEBALL MEMORABILIA

Vintage Baseball Memorabilia

Awards –

Cy Young Award 
Cy Young Award 

MVP Awards –
NL Johnny Bench
AL Boog Powell

NL Rookie of The Year – Carl Morton
AL Rookie of The Year – Thurman Munson

Roberto Clemente Award –

 

All-Star Game – July 14, 1970 – N.L. 5 over A.L. 4 (12) , played at Riverfront Stadium (NL)
AL Starter Jim Palmer NL Starter Tom Seaver MVP – Carl Yastrzemski

 

National League All-Stars

American League All-Stars

All-Star Managers

All-Star Game Ball Park

 

The stories that shaped 1996 

 

The Red Sox sign free-agent hurler Jamie Moyer. The 33 year-old southpaw will compile a 7-1 record for Boston before being traded to Seattle in July for outfielder Darren Bragg, where he will enjoy a pair of 20-game victory seasons en route to winning over 100 games during his 11-year tenure with the Mariners.

1996 – Free agent first baseman Paul Sorrento is signed by the Seattle Mariners.

phil niekro 300 wins

Baseball Writers’ Association of America fails to elect a single player to the Hall of Fame

1996 – Free agent IF Mike Gallego is signed by the Cardinals. In other transactions, Atlanta trades OF Mike Kelly to Cincinnati for minor league pitcher Chad Fox, and Oakland sends P Todd Stottlemyre to the Cardinals in exchange for P Jay Witasick and three prospects.

1996 – The Boston Red Sox trade pitcher Rheal Cormier, first baseman Ryan McGuire and minor league pitcher Shayne Bennett to the Montreal Expos in exchange for shortstop Wil Cordero and pitcher Bryan Eversgerd.

Cuban defector Livan Hernandez agrees to a $4.5 million four-year deal, which includes a record $2.5 million bonus, to pitch for the Marlins. The 20 year-old right-hander, known as ‘El Duque,’ will post a mediocre 24-24 record during his four years with the club, but will play a pivotal role in the team’s 1997 World Championship, winning both of his World Series starts.

Major League Baseball Approves Inter League Play

Major League Baseball Approves Inter League Play

The San Francisco Giants sign much-acclaimed amateur free agent Osvaldo Fernandez

Free agent IF/OF Tony Phillips and the Chicago White Sox agree to a $4.3 million, two-year contract.

The Milwaukee Brewers sign free agent starter Ben McDonald to a $7 million, two-year contract.

The Oakland Athletics send outfielder Danny Tartabull to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for pitcher Andrew Lorraine and Charles Poe.

The St. Louis Cardinals send outfielder Bernard Gilkey to the New York Mets in exchange for pitchers Eric Ludwick, Erik Hiljus and Yudith Orozio.

1996 – The Boston Red Sox trade outfielders Lee Tinsley and Glenn Murray and pitcher Ken Ryan to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for pitcher Heathcliff Slocumb and two prospects.

1996 – Free agent catcher Benito Santiago is signed by the Philadelphia Phillies to a one-year $1.7 million contract.

Ken Griffey, Jr. becomes the highest-paid major league player by signing a four-year, $34 million contract with Seattle.

Ken Griffey, Jr. becomes the highest-paid major league player by signing a four-year, $34 million contract with Seattle.

Dave Winfield 1992

Dave Winfield announces his retirement at the age of 44

St. Louis Cardinals acquiring closer Dennis Eckersley from the Oakland Athletics

St. Louis Cardinals acquiring closer Dennis Eckersley from the Oakland Athletics

Kevin McClatchy purchases the Pirates from the Pittsburgh Associates

1996 – General Mills announces a special edition Wheaties cereal box honoring Negro League superstars Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson and Cool Papa Bell.

The Yankees officially sign Dwight Gooden, who didn’t play last season as a result of being suspended for drugs, to a one-year deal with two option years. The complicated contract, necessitated by the hurler’s past addictions, calls for a salary of $1M in 1996, then $2M in 1997 and $3M in 1998, and requires the 31 year-old right-hander to be tested for drugs three times a week while participating in a 12-step program.

Major League Baseball’s rules committee increases the size of the strike zone

catfish hunter

The Yankees christen Legends Field, their new $30 million, 31-acre complex in Tampa

1996 – At St. Petersburg’s Al Lang Field, two Japanese umpires work a game with two U.S. umpires. Osamu Ino is behind the plate as the Pirates whip the Cardinals, 11 – 2. “I thought they (the Japanese) did a good job,” comments Pirates manager Jim Leyland. “And even if they didn’t, you couldn’t argue with them.” In Dunedin, fellow Central League umpires Samio Murakoshi and Toshio Azuma are part of a four-man crew that works the Phillies’ 12 – 2 victory over the Blue Jays. Meanwhile, four umpires from the majors are on a nine-day tour of Nippon Pro Baseball.

Jim Bunning highlights Veterans Committee new HOF members

Jim Bunning highlights Veterans Committee new HOF members

1996 – Houston sends lefthander Billy Wagner to the minors, intent on converting him to a starting pitcher. By year’s end, he is in the Astros bullpen, winning two games and saving nine in 37 appearances. 

1996 – In a Grapefruit League game at Clearwater’s Jack Russell Stadium, the Philadelphia Phillies and Cleveland Indians meet for the first time in their history, with the Indians prevailing, 8 – 2.

1996 – At Tampa’s Legends Field, Yankees infielder Tony Fernandez fractures his right elbow in an exhibition game against the Astros, and is placed on the 60-day disabled list.

1996 – Voters in San Francisco vote 2-to-1 in favor of a privately-funded stadium to replace Candlestick Park, the windy 36-year-old home of the Giants. The passage of the measure, the first step towards building the 42,000 seat bayside park, exempts the Giants from the waterside height restrictions. Plans call for the park to be ready for Opening Day, 2000.

1996 – Kirby Puckett is taken to the Ft. Myers Hospital after he awakes with his vision affected by a career-threatening malady. He has a black dot in front of his left eye and his vision is diagnosed as 20/200. Puckett, who hit .360 in spring training, will undergo surgery on April 17th.

Seattle Mariners and Chicago White Sox play the earliest Opening Day game in history

Seattle Mariners and Chicago White Sox play the earliest Opening Day game in history

1996 – For the first time in major league history, the regular season opens in March with the Seattle Mariners beating the Chicago White Sox in 12 innings, 3 – 2, at the Kingdome. Five Mariners pitchers strike out 21 batters, with Randy Johnson collecting 14 Sox in seven innings. The American League unveils its new colorful red polo shirts for the umpires, part of the “What a Game” campaign to lure fans back to the parks. The last sartorial change was in the 1970s when AL umps wore red blazers for several years. National League umpires will stick with traditional blue.

The Mets rally overcome a 6-0 deficit, beating the Cardinals at Shea Stadium, 7-6. The decisive run in the biggest Opening Day comeback of the century scores as a result of an unusual double play when Bernard Gilkey, the base runner on first, is doubled up on Rico Brogna’s short sac fly to right field (RF-1B-SS-1B-SS), allowing Lance Johnson to cross home plate on the play.

Only 7,296 fans show up at Cashman Field to watch the A’s lose their season opener to the Blue Jays, 9-6. The team plays their first six home games in the Las Vegas minor league ballpark due to renovations in the Oakland Coliseum, marking the first time since 1969 when the White Sox played a few of their home games in Milwaukee’s County Stadium that major league game takes place in a “neutral” site.

Longtime umpire John McSherry collapses and dies from a heart attack on Opening Day at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium

Due to renovations in the Coliseum, the Oakland Athletics play their season opener in Las Vegas, NV, losing to the Toronto Blue Jays, 9 – 6, in front of only 7,296 fans at Cashman Field.

Detroit Tigers first baseman Cecil Fielder steals the first base of his eleven-year major league career. His theft of second base comes in the 1,097th game that Fielder has played, establishing the longest duration a player had ever gone without a stolen base.

Derek Jeter First Career Homerun

With an Opening Day 7-1 victory over the Indians at Jacobs Field, Joe Torre wins the first of his 1,173 victories as the manager of the Yankees and Derek Jeter hits his first homerun

chan ho park

Park wins debut first Korean born pitcher to win MLB game

Padres pitching prospect Matt LaChappa‚ 20‚ suffers a massive heart attack while warming up for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. He will remain severely disabled, but the Padres will keep re-signing him year after year so that he receives proper medical coverage.

Warming up in the outfield before the Indians’ game with Toronto‚ Albert Belle heaves a ball at photographer Tony Tomsic‚ hitting him. Belle contends that it wasn’t deliberate‚ even though it was his second throw near Tomsic‚ and even though he warned the photographer not to snap his picture. The league will open an investigation in two weeks and Tomsic will file a lawsuit on December 12th. The Indians win the game‚ defeating the Blue Jays‚ 5 – 3.

Terry Pendleton hits a game-ending homer leading off the 10th to give Florida a 1 – 0 win over the Giants. Mark Dewey‚ in relief of starter Mark Leiter who went 9 innings‚ serves up the gopher.

Tiger CF Melvin Nieves bangs two doubles‚ a triple and a homer as the Tigers top the A’s‚ 6 – 1. Nieves was acquired from the Padres in a spring training trade.

The Twins hand the Orioles their first loss of the year‚ topping the O’s‚ 8 – 3. Cal Ripken fumbles a grounder in the 5th inning stopping his errorless streak at 74 games.

Gregg receives leave of absence

1996 – Atlanta Braves pitcher Greg Maddux ends his major league record for consecutive road victories with a 2 – 1 loss to San Diego. Maddux had been 18-0 with an 0.99 ERA in 20 regular-season road starts since losing at Montreal on June 27, 1994.

1996 – Juan Gonzalez hits a home run and drives in six runs as Texas beats Baltimore, 26 – 7. Texas scores 16 runs in the 8th inning – one short of the modern major league mark – and scores the most runs by an American League team in 41 years. Jesse Orosco’s ERA rises from an ugly 9.82 to an almost unfathomable 27.00. Orosco is relieved by infielder Manny Alexander, who gets the last two outs but walks off the mound with a 67.50 ERA.

Houston batters Cincinnati, 13-5 Sean Berry has three hits and five RBIs

Brady Anderson leads off the 1st inning with a home run for the fourth straight game for the Baltimore Orioles. The Texas Rangers overcome that homer, beating the Orioles, 9 - 6.

Brady Anderson leads off the 1st inning with a home run for the fourth straight game for the Baltimore Orioles. The Texas Rangers overcome that homer, beating the Orioles, 9 – 6.

John Franco of the New York Mets becomes the first left-handed pitcher to reach the 300-save plateau with a scoreless 9th inning in a 3 – 2 Mets win over the Expos at Shea Stadium.

The Mariners surpass the 1984 White Sox record for home runs hit by a team in April with their 39th round-tripper. Seattle will extend the mark to 44 homers by month’s end.

Shawon Dunston makes 4 errors in one game

Shawon Dunston makes 4 errors in one game

Minnesota Twins set a team record for runs and rout the Detroit Tigers, 24 - 11

Minnesota Twins set a team record for runs and rout the Detroit Tigers, 24 – 11

Video Barry Bonds 300th homerun

Video Barry Bonds 300th homerun

New York Mets closer John Franco becomes the first left-hander in major league history to record 300 saves, exactly 12 years after he gained his first save with the Cincinnati Reds.

1996 – Jeff King of the Pittsburgh Pirates becomes the third major leaguer to hit two home runs in one inning twice in his career in the 10 – 7 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Riverfront Stadium. King first accomplished the feat a year earlier on August 8th. King joins Willie McCovey and Andre Dawson in the exclusive club.

Texas starter Ken Hill yields a one-out first-inning infield single to Bobby Higginson before going on to retire the next 26 batters in the team’s 11-0 victory at Tiger Stadium. Tomorrow, the Ranger right-hander’s effort will be matched by teammate Roger Pavlik, who will also give up only one hit against Detroit, making it the first time in 79 years in the American League that a team has thrown consecutive one-hitters.

The Texas Rangers become the first American League team in 79 years to pitch consecutive one-hitters as Roger Pavlik holds the Detroit Tigers to a 5th-inning home run in a 3 – 1 win. Ken Hill one-hit Detroit on May 3rd, retiring the last 26 batters he faced.

The Colorado Rockies bang out 21 hits, including a pair of three-run home runs by Andres Galarraga, to hook the Florida Marlins, 17 – 5. The Rockies score seven runs in the 1st inning when they hit three of their five home runs. Galarraga collects seven RBI for the day.

Tampa Bay announces the team will move to St. Petersburgh for Spring Training

1996 – Anthony Young , who had the majors’ longest personal losing streak while with the Mets and Cubs, gets the win as Houston roars back to topple the Phillies, 7-5. Jeff Bagwell launches two home runs while Sean Berry adds a solo shot. Both rap four hits on the evening. 

The Cardinals use an 11-run 8th inning to beat the Giants, 16 – 8. Willie McGee’s grand slam is the highlight of the inning, and Luis Alicea also adds four RBI in the game. Barry Bonds hits his league-high 15th homer to pace the Giants.

David Cone

David Cone goes under career threatening surgery

Yankees P David Cone undergoes surgery to remove an aneurysm in his pitching arm.

For his second straight start, Braves P John Smoltz is backed by 18 hits and he coasts to his 7th straight win, 11 – 0 over the Phils. Javy Lopez leads the Braves with four hits. Smoltz beat the Phils, 11 – 9, on May 5th, when the Braves also collected 18 hits.

The Red Sox edge the Blue Jays, 6 – 5, in 11 innings. John Valentin ties the score with a 2-out homer in the 9th and Troy O’Leary homers in the 11th to win it. Heathcliff Slocumb, Tom Gordon and Mike Stanton combine to strike out 17 Jays.

Montreal’s Henry Rodriguez hits his second homer of the game, a 3-run shot in the 8th, to send the Expos to a 5 – 2 win over the Astros. Starter Jeff Fassero is the winner. Following Rodriguez’s home run, the game is delayed when fans in the LF bleachers shower the field with “Oh, Henry” candy bars.

The Athletics defeat the Twins by a score of 15 – 5. Oakland CF Ernie Young gets four safeties, including three home runs, and drives home 6. Young entered the game with three career homers in 164 major league at-bats. He is believed to have had the fewest career home runs of any player ever to hit three in a game.

Al Leiter No Hitter

Al Leiter of the Florida Marlins pitches the first no-hitter in franchise history

On ‘John Franco Day,’ the New York veteran reliever is ejected from the game, along with eight other players, as the result of participating in a fifth-inning bench-clearing brawl at Shea Stadium. Prior to the game the Mets celebrated their closer’s recent 300th career save, but his unavailability in the ninth leads to three hurlers combining to give up the tying runs in the team’s eventual 7-6 walk-off victory over Chicago.

Al Leiter No Hitter

Al Leiter pitches the first no-hitter in the Marlins’ brief existence, beating the Rockies, 11-0

Jerry Goff, playing in his first game of the season, ties a modern major league record when he allows six passed balls in the Astros’ 7-6 loss to the Expos at Olympic Stadium. The 32 year-old Houston backup backstop, filling in for starter Rick Wilkins, who caught all 13 frames of yesterday’s extra-inning loss to Montreal, equals the dubious mark for misplaying six pitches in one game shared by Harry Vickers (1902 Reds) and Geno Petralli (1987 Rangers).

1996 – Reserve catcher Jerry Goff ties a modern major-league record, allowing six passed balls in a 7-6 loss to Montreal. Goff also plunks a homer and goes two-for-four in his final major league appearance. 

Dwight Gooden no-hitter for the Yankees vs Mariners

Dwight Gooden no-hitter for the Yankees vs Mariners

The Mariners spot the Yankees four runs, then hammer starter Jimmy Key and five other pitchers for 19 hits to win, 10 – 5. Seven Mariners collect two or more hits, and Edgar Martinez drives in four runs. A wild Key takes his 5th straight loss, while Yankee reliever Mariano Rivera records four outs to stretch his runless innings to 21 2/3. The Yanks will place Key on the disabled list.

After a 2-hour delay in Milwaukee because of fog, Frank Thomas leads the way with six RBI as the White Sox bang the Brewers, 20 – 8. This ties a 1975 mark for the most runs given up by Milwaukee in a game. The Sox, with 21 hits, score six runs in the 2nd and another six in the 6th.

Mo Vaughn cracks two of Boston’s four home runs, and the Red Sox score in each of the first seven innings, to clip the Angels, 17 – 6. Mike Stanley matches Mo’s four RBI.

Denny Neagle, allowing four hits in seven innings, wins his 5th straight game to give Pittsburgh a 3 – 0 win over the Braves. The Braves have now been shut out five times, one more than all of last year. The Braves lose more than the game when OF David Justice dislocates his right shoulder swinging at a pitch in the 2nd inning. The shoulder has never healed from an injury last year, and Justice will undergo surgery that will sideline him for the year.

The Yankees outbid four other American teams and sign Japanese P Katsuhiro Maeda to a $1.5 million contract. The Yanks obtain the fastballer from the Seibu Lions for more than $350,000. Maeda, who has his hair dyed orange, was 0-2 with the Lions from 1993 through 1995, but refused to sign for the 1996 season unless he was traded to a U.S. team.

Sammy Sosa becomes the first Cub ever to hit two homers in one inning, hitting them in the 8-run 7th inning at Wrigley Field. The slugger accomplishes the feat leading off the 7th with a solo shot off Jeff Tabaka and then hits a two-run round tripper off Jim Dougherty. The Cubs roll over the Astros, 13 – 1, as rookie Amaury Telemaco, recalled two days ago from the Iowa Cubs, allows just one hit in seven shutout innings.

Albert Belle homers twice to lead the Indians to an 8 – 3 win over the Tigers. Jack McDowell is the winner for the division-leading Indians, now 5 1/2 games ahead of the White Sox. Before the game, the American Leagueorders Belle to receive “immediate counseling” and do community service as a result of his winging baseballs at a photographer several weeks ago. Belle’s agent replies that the star is already doing both.

As Tony Phillips says, “It’s not been a good 24 hours.” The White Sox OF is picked off base in the 9th inning of Chicago’s 3 – 2 loss to Milwaukee, then returns to the clubhouse to learn that battery charges have been pressed against him by a fan. Phillips and the fan got into a shoving match after the outfielder left yesterday’s game in the 7th inning, changed into street clothes and sought the fan. Phillips contends the fan was yelling racial slurs during the game. Both Phillips and the fan will eventually be charged with disorderly conduct and fined.

Jesús Sommers of the Poza Rica Oilers connects for his 3,000th career hit. Elmer Dessens is the victimized pitcher.

Chris Hoiles hits walkoff grandslam

Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, GA opens, though the 1996 Summer Olympics are still two months away. Following the Olympics, the stadium will be partially reconstructed as Turner Field.

In San Francisco, the fans and players ignore a light earthquake at 3Com Park – 4.8 on the Richter scale – in the 3rd inning, and the Giants break a 6th-inning tie to win, 8 – 5, over the Expos. Matt Williams hits his 11th home run and drives in three runs for San Francisco, while Henry Rodriguez hits his 17th homer for the Expos. His three ribbies give him 51 to lead the National League.

In a 12 – 10 defeat of the Pirates, Larry Walker sets a Rockies club record with 13 total bases. The right fielder drives in a six runs with a pair of two-run homers, a triple and a double. Colorado tallies 20 hits. The following day, Walker will get a double and consecutive triples to set a new National League record by getting extra-base hits in six straight plate appearances. He will also tie the major league record for most extra-base hits (seven) in two consecutive games.

Dave Weathers homers and pitches six shutout innings as the streaking Marlins win, 3 – 2, over the slumping Reds. The Marlins (24-23) are over .500 for the first time in two years.

At Fenway Park, Seattle pounds out 19 hits to beat Boston, 13 – 7. Ken Griffey, Jr. becomes the 7th-youngest player to collect 200 homers when he connects in the M’s six-run 4th inning. Jay Buhner hits a two-run shot in the inning, the 5th game in a row he’s connected, and Edgar Martinez adds four hits in the game.

The Phils’ Terry Mulholland defeats the Padres, 5 – 4. Mulholland, who entered the game with the third-lowest batting average in history of any player with 400 at bats, clouts a 407-foot home run in the 2nd inning off Sean Bergman. As Mulholland explains, “Most great power hitters don’t hit for a high average.”

Albert Belle’s 21-game hitting streak is stopped when, with two men on, he strikes out in the 9th inning to end the game, a 10 – 8 Cleveland loss to the Brewers.

The Athletics spoil Dwight Gooden Day in New York City by hitting five homers – three by Yankee-killer Geronimo Berroa – to beat the Yankees, 5 – 1. The five runs, all coming on solo homers, ties the major league mark.

In the Red Sox’s 11 – 4 sinking of the Mariners‚ Roger Clemens tosses a complete game win and bounces his first major league hit‚ and the first by a Sox pitcher since 1972. Clemens gets to bat when DH Jose Cansecomoves to LF in the 8th inning.

David Howard steals home‚ the second Royal to do it in 2 days – Bob Hamelin also swiped home against the Tigers – and Kevin Appier pitches 7 2/3 strong innings to give the Royals their 4th straight win‚ 4 – 2.

San Diego tops Philadelphia by a score of 7 – 5‚ as OF Steve Finley strokes 5 hits for the Padres‚ including a double and homer.

1996 – In Seattle‚ Ken Griffey‚ Jr sinks the Yankees with three home runs‚ scoring 5 runs and driving in 6 as the Mariners win‚ 10 – 4. It is the first 3-homer game for Griffey. Scott Kamieniecki takes the loss‚ his last game with the Yankees. His season will end in a month when he goes on the AAA disabled list.

Houston rallies for an 8-7 victory over the Cubs in the ten innings

Houston rallies for an 8-7 victory over the Cubs in the ten innings

The Chicago White Sox become the 16th team in American League history to hit four home runs in one inning in their 12 – 1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. Frank Thomas, Harold Baines and Robin Ventura hit consecutive homers and Chad Kreuter adds another in Chicago’s seven-run 8th inning.

Bobby Chouinard becomes the first player from Manila to appear in a major league game. The A’s hurler pitches five innings, giving up 8 hits and 5 earned runs in a 6-1 loss to the Orioles at Camden Yards.

In the Orioles’ 12-8 win over Seattle at the Kingdome, Cal Ripken blasts a grand slam and two two-run round-trippers, giving him a career-high eight RBIs. The Baltimore shortstop’s younger brother, Billy, also goes deep for the Birds, making it the second time the siblings have both homered in the same game.

John Smoltz (11-1) allows 4 hits in topping the Cubs‚ 2 – 0‚ in Atlanta. Smoltz strikes out 13 to raise his National League-leading total to 97.

Cal Ripken hits his 334th career round-tripper to move past Eddie Murray for first-place on the Orioles’ all-time list. The Baltimore shortstop goes deep over the left field wall off Sterling Hitchcock in the sixth inning of the team’s 9-8 defeat to Seattle at the Kingdome.

1996 – In a 7-4 Astros triumph, Jeff Bagwell swats an upper-deck shot off Danny Darwin at Three Rivers Stadium, to join Pirate legend Willie Stargell as the only players to reach that level more than once. Bagwell caps his four-hit, five-RBI night with a two-run shot off Francisco Cordova. 

Belle blows up Vina

Belle blows up Vina

1996 – Houston Astros pitcher Darryl Kile ties a major league record by hitting four St. Louis Cardinals batters. Kyle also becomes the first National League pitcher to do it since Moe Drabowsky accomplished the feat pitching for the Cubs on this day 39 years ago.

At the Huggins-Stengel complex in St. Petersburg, the expansion Devil Rays begin their first mini-camp in franchise history. Twenty-four free agents, signed before the June draft, work out in front of the recently assembled Tampa Bay coaching staff and Tom Foley, the team’s field coordinator.

For the third time in two years Craig Biggio scores 5 runs as Houston doubles the Rockies‚ 16 – 8. John Cangelosi has a three-run homer and scores 4 times to back Mike Hampton’s pitching.

Gregg Jefferies celebrates his return to the Phillies’ lineup by going 4 for 5‚ and Pete Incaviglia clubs two three-run homers as the Phils coast to a 12 – 3 rain-delayed win over visiting Chicago. Jefferies has been out of the lineup since April 4 with a thumb injury.

Pamela Davis, a member of the Colorado Silver Bullets, pitches one inning of scoreless relief and gets the win in a minor league exhibition game. She is believed to be the first woman to pitch for a major league farm club under the current structure of the minor league system. Davis, a 21-year-old right-hander, pitches for the Jacksonville Suns, a Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, against the Australian Olympic team.

Pitching dominates the baseball draft as 14 of the first 22 selections are moundsmen. Clemson pitcher Kris Benson is the top choice‚ going to Pittsburgh where he’ll snag a $2 million signing bonus‚ while the Twins pick power-hitting Travis Lee from San Diego State as the 2nd choice. Four of the first-round picks, Lee, P Bobby Seay, chosen 14th by the White Sox, P John Patterson, the Expos’ first choice, and Matt White, the Giants’ top selection, will not sign and become free agents because of a loophole discovered by agent Scott Boras. The agent says that the letters tendered to the picks are not offers on specific forms and that only the latter can be used within 15 days of drafting or the players are free agents. The four will ink contracts with the Devil Rays and Diamondbacks‚ with White getting a $10.2 million bonus‚ the largest in history.

1996 – Craig Biggio scores five times during a 16-8 drubbing of Colorado at the Dome. John Cangelosi and Sean Berry both launch three-run shots off Lance Painter. 

John Valentin hits for Cycle in same Game Chicago White Sox turn Triple Play

John Valentin hits for Cycle in same Game Chicago White Sox turn Triple Play

Colorado rips Atlanta ace Greg Maddux for 11 hits and seven runs in 3 1/3 innings on their way to a 21-hit, 19 – 8 victory.

In the major leagues’ only scheduled doubleheader this season, the Minnesota Twins and Oakland Athletics split. In the opener, Pat Meares’ two-run home run in the fifth inning gives Minnesota a 4 – 2 win as Oakland outslugs the Twins, 13 – 7, in the nitecap. John Wasdin is helped by a George Williams grand slam in the six-run 5th while Brent Gates, Gerónimo Berroa, and Torey Lovullo also homer. All other twin bills this season are the result of makeup games.

1996 – Warren Morris hits a two-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the 9th inning to give Louisiana State a 9 – 8 victory over Miami in the championship game of the College World Series.

The Mets defeat the Braves‚ 8 – 3‚ despite 5 hits for Atlanta SS Jeff Blauser. Todd Hundley strokes two homers in going 4 for 4 with 5 RBIs for New York.

The White Sox defeat the Red Sox‚ 8 – 2. Tim Wakefield goes the distance for Boston‚ surrendering 16 hits and making 162 pitches‚ all on two days’ rest. It is the most hits allowed in a game by a pitcher this decade.

The Cubs defeat the Phillies‚ 9 – 2‚ as they are led by OF Scott Bullett’s 5 hits and 4 runs batted in. Ryne Sandberg adds a bases-loaded triple.

The Mariners make Rick Aguilera’s second start of the season a disaster by rocking him for 10 runs and 10 hits in 3+ innings. Dan Wilson has five of the M’s 24 hits as Seattle wins over host Minnesota‚ 18 – 8. Joey Cora and Alex Rodriguez each have 4 hits to back Bob Wells (6-1).

Cal Ripken, Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles breaks the world record for the most consecutive games played

Cal Ripken, Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles breaks the world record for the most consecutive games played

Dodgers turn their first triple play in forty-seven years

Legendary broadcaster Mel Allen dies at the age of 83.

Legendary broadcaster Mel Allen dies at the age of 83.

6/17/1996: Raul Mondesi had a three run homer and Todd Hollandsworth hit a two run shot for the Dodgers in the top of the first against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Cub pitcher Mike Campbell also allowed two other hits. After two batters in the bottom of the first and a 1:38 rain delay, those hits and the Dodgers 5-0 lead were wiped out.

Chris Anderson becomes the first player representing the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to get a base hit. The Hudson Valley catcher, the team’s 66th-round draft choice, delivers a run-producing single in the second inning of the Renegades’ 7-6 loss to New Jersey in the New York-Penn League contest.

Brant Brown hits the first three home runs of his career on the same day. The 25 year-old rookie goes deep as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning off Chan Ho Park in a 9-6 loss to the Dodgers in the opener of a Wrigley Field twin bill, but his two additional round-trippers contribute to Chicago’s 7-4 victory in the nightcap.

Copper Kings infielder Jim Kerr hits the first home run in Devil Rays history. The 21 year-old former Yankees farmhand goes deep in the Buttes Pioneer League opener against Idaho Falls.

Cardinals infielder Ozzie Smith, considered the best all-time defensive shortstop, announces he will retire at the end of the season. In his first year of eligibility, the writers elect the 15-time All-Star infielder will to the Hall of Fame.

In the first game played by a minor league affiliate of Tampa Bay’s new expansion team, the GCL Devil Rays lose to the GCL Yankees 10-1. A record crowd of 7,582 is in attendance at Al Lang Stadium to see 18 year-old right-hander Pablo Ortega throw the first pitch in franchise history.

1996 – The Indians win their 13th straight over the Red Sox, 5 – 4, on Kenny Lofton’s bloop single in the 9th off Mike Stanton. Jim Thome hits a game-tying home run in the 8th, off Roger Clemens, the 17th straight game in which the Indians have gone deep, a team record. Clemens leaves after 157 pitches with no decision.

The Devil Rays get their first win in the history of the organization when the club’s Gulf Coast League affiliate beats the GCL Astros. Jose Rodriguez, an 18 year-old right-hander from Cotui in the Dominican Republic, gets the victory.

The New York Yankees acquire Billy Brewer and give Steve Howe his release.

In Cleveland, Ruben Sierra homers from both sides of the plate as the Yankees beat the Indians, 11 – 9. One of Sierra’s home runs comes in the 9-run 6th inning. Albert Belle, back from a two-game suspension, is 3 for 5 with a homer, and Eddie Murray adds his 488th home run for the Tribe. The game takes 4:10.

The Cubs beat the Padres, 9 – 6, in 16 innings. 1B Brant Brown is the hero for Chicago with five hits on the day, including a double and a two-run homer in the 16th.

1996 – The Yankees complete a four-game sweep of the Indians in Cleveland for the first time since 1964.

Ron Gant homers on the first pitch and the Cards go on to beat the Braves, 9 – 2, ending John Smoltz’s 14-game winning streak. Brian Jordan has six RBIs to stop Smoltz, who was trying to match Gaylord Perry’s 15-game streak in 1974. Smoltz, 4-9 against the Cards, has not beaten them since 1992.

On Oh! Henry candy bar day in Montreal, Henry Rodriguez bangs two homers to tie for the National League lead at 25. His Expos beat the Pirates, 11 – 3, nine of the runs coming in the 2nd inning. Rodriguez adds a single and two-run double.

Former Yankees P Steve Howe, released by the team just two days ago, is arrested at Kennedy International Airport in New York for carrying a loaded gun in his luggage. He will plead guilty to a misdemeanor and be sentenced to three years probation and 150 hours of community service.

At Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland A’s first baseman Mark McGwire hits his 300th career home run off Tiger hurler Omar Olivares. The A’s fail to outslug the Tigers, 10 – 8. Bobby Higginson and Jason Giambi each drive in five runs while Cecil Fielder also homers.

1996 – Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda undergoes an angioplasty after suffering a mild heart attack. Bill Russell is named Los Angeles’ interim manager.

The Rockies pound the Dodgers, 13 – 1, as Andres Galarraga leads the way with a double, two homers, and a team-record eight runs driven in.

The Athletics stroke eight home runs in an 18 – 2 pounding of the Angels. Scott Brosius hits 2, while Mark McGwire, Geronimo Berroa, Jason Giambi, Terry Steinbach, Ernie Young and Jose Herrera also connect. The seven different players going deep ties the major league record.

Darryl Strawberry’s 300th career round-tripper is a dramatic 9th-inning, two-run dinger which gives the Yankees a come-from-behind 3 – 2 win over the Royals.

Seattle scores seven runs in the 1st inning, and eight in the 5th, on the way to a 19 – 8 pasting of the Rangers. 3B Luis Sojo gets five hits for the winners.

The Dodgers defeat the Rockies, 13 – 10, after leading 13 – 0 going into the bottom of the 8th inning. Colorado scores eight runs in the 8th, then adds two more in the 9th to fall three short. C Mike Piazza leads the way for Los Angeles with three home runs and six RBIs.

The Athletics hit three home runs in an 11 – 9 win over the Red Sox, giving them a major league record-tying 18 in four games. They hit four four days earlier, eight two days ago, and three yesterday in addition to today’s 3.

Rockies 2B Eric Young steals six bases in Colorado’s 16 – 15 win over the Dodgers to tie a major league record. Three steals come in the 3rd inning when he steals second base, third and home. The two teams score in 14 of their 18 turns at bat, tying another big league mark. There are seven lead changes in the contest, which is marked by 38 hits, 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases – 9 of them with Hideo Nomo on the mound. Three of the homers come on consecutive pitches as Mike Piazza, Eric Karros and Raul Mondesi homer off Mark Thompson. The 4-hour and 20-minute game is the longest 9-inning contest in National League history. Mondesi drives home six runs for Los Angeles, while Dante Bichette gets five hits and four ribbies for Colorado.

The Giants lose their 10th in a row, as San Diego wins, 7 – 4. It ties the losing streak record for the franchise in San Francisco.

The Twins defeat the Royals, 5 – 2, as Minnesota LF Marty Cordova has his hitting streak stopped at 23 games.

Cards pitcher Todd Stottlemyre has three hits, two in the 6-run 2nd inning, in beating the Pirates, 10 – 3.

1996 – John Cangelosi is the sparkplug in a 9-3 triumph over the Mets. He gets two hits, walks twice, drives in three and steals three bases to pace the Houston attack. Everyone in the lineup gets at least one hit, including Darryl Kile who notches his seventh win in a complete-game performance. 

In San Francisco, Barry Bonds and Mark Carreon homer to lead the Giants to a 9 – 6 win over the Rockies. The win snaps a 10-game losing streak, the longest for the Giants since a 10-game skein in 1985 and a 13-game losing streak in 1944.

At Yankee Stadium, the Key outguns the Rocket, as Jimmy Key beats Roger Clemens, 2 – 0. Mike Aldrete’s solo home run in the 7th is the first score.

The Marlins sign Domingo Aramboles, 16-year-old Dominican pitcher, to a contract, giving him a $5,500 signing bonus. Aramboles produces a birth certificate showing he’s 16, but later on it is discovered that he is only 14, and the Commissioner’s office will nullify the contract. His 1.71 minor league ERA will earn him a big bonus when he signs again in 1998. Josephang Bernhardt, another Latin ballplayer who will produce a phony birth certificate, will be taken away from Tampa Bay and sign with Toronto for $750,000.

An MRI on Tony Gwynn shows fraying of the tendon in his right heel. The Padres star will be out for at least four weeks and miss the All-Star Game.

The Reds put P Pete Schourek on the 15-day disabled list, but he’ll undergo elbow surgery on July 17th and miss the rest of the season. The Reds’ other ace, Jose Rijo, recovering from surgery last August, has yet to pitch off the mound for Birmingham.

Oakland breaks a 6 – 6 tie by scoring five runs in the 9th inning to defeat Seattle, 11 – 6. 1B Jason Giambi leads the way with five hits.

The Mets defeat the Phillies, 10 – 6, as rookie OF Alex Ochoa leads the way by going 5 for 5 and hitting for the cycle.

In Atlanta’s 3 – 1 win over the Expos, Montreal first baseman David Segui fractures his left thumb when pitcher Ugueth Urbina fires over to first base and hits his teammate. Henry Rodriguez takes over at 1B.

The Yankees sign Venezuelan Jackson Melian, just turned 16, to a contract for $1.6 million. His bonus is a record for Latino ball players. Melian will fail to make the majors.

The Yankees provide the fireworks, signing Darryl Strawberry; on June 24th, Yankee GM Bob Watson said five times that Strawberry “doesn’t fit.”

After the California Angels score three runs in the top of the 1st inning, the Oakland Athletics respond with 13 of their own in the bottom half to mark the highest-scoring 1st inning by two teams in major league history. The 13 runs is one short of the record. DH Matt Stairs ties a major league mark with six RBIs in the frame. The Athletics go on to post a 16 – 8 victory.

Behind Wilson Alvarez, the White Sox hand the Indians their first shutout of the year, beating them, 7 – 0. The Sox now trail the Tribe by just two games.

During the Yankees’ 2 – 0 win over the Brewers, the team announces the purchase of Darryl Strawberry’s contract from Columbus. John Wetteland preserves Jimmy Key’s win with a save in his 20th consecutive appearance, breaking Lee Smith’s record.

The Seattle Mariners ride three solo home runs by Edgar Martinez to a 9 – 5 win over the Texas Rangers.

The Marlins fire manager Rene Lachemann. Florida vice president John Boles replaces Lachemann, although he has not managed at any level in 10 years; except for Ted Turner’s one-game stint in the 1970s, Boles is the first manager since Emil Fuchs in 1929 with no professional playing experience at any level. He wins his first game today, 7 – 4, in 10 innings over the Phillies.

7/7/1996 – On the last day before the All-Star break, the Milwaukee Brewers’ Matt Mieske batted out of turn in the top of the second inning at Yankee Stadium. The lineup posted in the dugout was different than the one given to the umpires. After John Jaha led off the inning by doubling to right-center, Mieske singled to right, moving Jaha to third. When Yankee skipper Joe Torre talked with the umpires, Jose Valentin, the proper batter, was called out. Mieske then batted again and flew out to right. The Brewers beat the Yankees, 4-1.

At the Olympic Games in Atlanta, Cuban pitcher Rolando Arrojo defects to the U.S.

The Giants trade 1B Mark Carreon to the Indians for P Jim Poole.

The National League defeats the American League, 6 – 0, in the All-Star Game. Ken Caminiti and Mike Piazza homer for the winners. Piazza’s homer goes into the upper deck and he also adds a RBI double. The game is the first All-Star contest in which no walks are issued by either team. Cal Ripken Jr. starts the game, despite suffering a broken nose when he accidentally catches a forearm from Chicago P Roberto Hernández, who slipped on the tarp during the AL team photo shoot.

cal ripken jr

All-Star Game at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium in a game that nearly saw the end to Cal Ripken’s consecutive game streak

The United States Postal Service issues ‘Mighty Casey”, a commemorative stamp which depicts the title character of Ernest L. Thayer’s immortal poem, ‘Casey at the Bat.’ The maligned Mudville outfielder joins Paul Bunyan, John Henry, and Pecos Bill as part of a set commemorating American folk heroes.

Minnesota Twins star and future Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett announces his retirement

Minnesota Twins star and future Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett announces his retirement

David Segui shares his mitt with Chicago’s Mark Grace as Grace’s glove did not arrive at the ballpark due to a shipping mix-up

Down 9 – 2 as they bat in the last half of the 7th inning in Colorado, the Rockies score 11 times and hold on for a 13 – 12 win over the Padres. 3B Vinny Castilla’s grand slam – his second homer of the game – is the big blow of the inning.

The Giants’ top prospect, Shawn Estes, throws his first game of the season, pitching seven scoreless innings and striking out 11 Dodgers for his first win, 7 – 0.

The Indians score four runs in the 4th, five runs in the 5th, and six runs in the 6th as they defeat the Twins, 19 – 11. The Tribe counts 12 doubles and 3 home runs among its 22 hits. The 12 doubles tie an American League record set in 1990, and the two teams combine for 18 doubles, a new AL record (the National League mark is 23). OF Rich Becker gets four hits, including a double and two homers, and drives home six runs for Minnesota.

In Cincinnati, Reggie Sanders hits two homers and P Dave Burba launches his first major league home run as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 7 – 6. The Reds get the deciding runs in the 7th with Sanders’ second home run and Eduardo Perez, son of Reds star Tony Perez, hits his first major league homer, off Steve Parris.

In Seattle, Ken Griffey Jr. returns to the Seattle Mariners’ lineup after missing 20 games and drives in three runs with a homer and double. Bob Wells (8-2) pitches a 4-hitter to beat the California Angels, 8 – 0.

In Atlanta, Ryan Klesko belts two homers and drives in six runs to lead the Atlanta Braves to a 15 – 10 drubbing of the Florida Marlins. Jeff Conine has a pair of home runs for the Fish.

Cal Ripken is shifted to 3B after playing 2,216 consecutive games at SS for the Baltimore Orioles, but his consecutive game streak remains intact at 2,243 games. Baltimore defeats the Toronto Blue Jays, 8 – 6. Ripken’s replacement at short, Manny Alexander, will manage just a broken-bat single in 18 at bats and after six games at 3B, Cal will return to shortstop.

After failing to score in the first two innings, the Brewers proceed to score in each of their remaining turns at the plate to punch out Detroit by a score of 20 – 7. Greg Vaughn drives home five runs for Milwaukee, and now leads the American League with 88 RBI, while Jose Valentin knocks out four hits.

Although the team beats the Giants, 5-3, the Rockies’ streak of scoring seven runs in a game comes to an end at 11. Colorado’s mark ties the record shared by the Pirates (1911), Yankees (1938), and Reds (1976).

The Red Sox take a 9 – 2 lead over the Yankees into the 7th inning in Boston. New York scores three in the 7th, two in the 8th, and four in the 9th to move ahead, 11 – 9. The Red Sox bounce back with three of their own in their last at bat to defeat New York by a score of 12 – 11 and end John Wetteland’s record save streak.

Lead-off hitter Kurt Abbott pounds a single, triple, and home run and drives in six runs to lead the Marlins to an 11 – 2 victory over the Astros.

Five Padre relievers help the Rockies set a club record of 11 runs in the 7th inning en route to a 13 – 12 Rocks win. Colorado overcomes a seven-run deficit.

Cards pitcher Andy Benes, who started the year going 1-7, evens his record at 8-8, beating the Reds 6 – 4.

The Indians defeat the Twins, 6 – 5, on Alvaro Espinoza’s 11th-inning homer. OF Kenny Lofton leads the way for the Tribe with five hits. Albert Belle rings his 226th homer as an Indian to tie Earl Averill’s club mark.

The Orioles trade P Kent Mercker to the Indians in exchange for DH Eddie Murray. Murray returns to the Flock needing just eight homers to reach 500.

Oakland defeats Texas, 11 – 8, despite five hits – including a double and homer – by Rangers OF Rusty Greer. Terry Steinbach homers twice to extend his hitting streak to 21 games.

Derek Bell singles home James Mouton with the game-winner for the second straight night as the Astros clip the Braves, 4-3, in ten innings

The Indians spoil Eddie Murray’s return to Baltimore by beating the Orioles, 9 – 5. Murray gets a standing ovation from the crowd and on his third at-bat belts a home run, the 493rd of his career.

Toronto’s Erik Hanson walks Cleveland’s Jim Thome without throwing a fourth ball. With the count 2-2 the pitch is wide and Thome jogs to first base. Umpire Mike Everitt, a fill-in from the Pacific Coast League, had incorrectly called the count 3-2 before the pitch, and Thome, who knew better, didn’t correct him. The next batter, Albert Belle, hits a three-run double for a 4 – 2 win.

The Pirates trade P Danny Darwin to the Astros in exchange for minor league P Rich Loiselle.

In the pitchers’ hell known as Coors Field, the Rockies take a pair from the Mets, out-slugging them, 10 – 7 and 11 – 10. The two games feature 59 hits, including eight home runs, off 17 pitchers. In the 1st inning of the nitecap, Dante Bichette, Andres Galarraga and Vinny Castilla hit consecutive homers off Pete Harnisch. Galarraga hits another in the 3rd, one of his six hits for the day.

The Reds defeat the Phillies, 5 – 3, as SS Barry Larkin drives in all the Cincinnati runs on two home runs.

At the Astrodome, San Diego’s Rob Deer launches one of the highest balls ever hit, striking a cable holding up a loud speaker. It’s declared a dead ball. The Pads don’t need it as they win, 7 – 4.

Royals rookie Jose Rosado wins his first major league game, 7 – 0, shutting down the Yankees on four hits at Yankee Stadium.

Mark McGwire clouts his 37th homer into the 5th deck at Toronto’s Skydome, just the second player to reach there. The 488-foot drive off Huck Flener lands four rows up from where Jose Canseco hit one in the 1989 ALCS. The A’s still lose the game to the Jays, 4 – 3, when Joe Carter hits a dramatic two-run two-out homer in the bottom of the 9th. McGwire will hit his 38th tomorrow in an A’s win.

Rockies left-hander Bruce Ruffin strikes out four batters in one inning, a feat accomplished only 25 times in major league history. The opportunity for the rare occurrence happens when Cubs’ catcher Scott Servais strikes out swinging but reaches first base safely after whiffing on the southpaw’s wild pitch.

In a battle of aces, the Twins’ Brad Radke tops Roger Clemens, 5 – 1. The Red Sox ace is now 4-10.

The Cubs defeat the Rockies, 17 – 4, as catcher Tyler Houston leads the way with a single, double, homer, and six RBIs. Sammy Sosa has his National League-leading 34th homer.

In a trade of catchers, the Astros trade Rick Wilkins to the Giants in exchange for popular Kirt Manwaring and cash.

Following a two-homer, five-RBI game on the 25th, Albert Belle goes 4 for 5 with a three-run homer to lead the Indians to a 14 – 9 drubbing of the Orioles. There are seven homers hit in the game.

The Yankees unload a 21-hit barrage and bat around twice to whip the Royals, 15 – 1. This is the most hits New York has collected in nine innings since August 25, 1984, when they had 23 against Seattle. Jimmy Key is the easy winner, giving up three hits in seven innings. Pat Kelly, who had been out the whole season after undergoing surgery, makes his debut and promptly injures a hamstring.

In Toronto, Joe Carter becomes the third player to hit a homer into the upper level at the SkyDome, a three-run shot that carries 483 feet. Geronimo Berroa and Matt Stairs homer for the A’s, the 23rd straight game in which the A’s have collected a home run. But the Jays beat them, 6 – 4.

The Padres pound the Marlins, 20 – 12, scoring six runs in the 6th inning, and nine in the 8th. Wally Joyner leads the way with five RBI, while John Flaherty hits a grand slam. The Padres are the 6th club to score 20 runs in a game this year; the last time that happened was 1929.

The Orioles score 10 runs off Orel Hershiser, including a grand slam by Rafael Palmeiro, to whip the Indians, 14 – 2, at Camden Yards. Hershiser gives up 11 hits and four walks in 5 1/3 innings.

Padres C John Flaherty has his 27-game hitting streak stopped by the Marlins in the Padres’ 8 – 2 win. The streak is the second-longest ever by a catcher behind Benito Santiago’s record, also set with the Padres.

Darryl Strawberry’s 300th career round-tripper is a dramatic ninth inning, two-run dinger which gives the Yankees a come-from-behind 3-2 win over the Royals. The 34 year-old ‘Straw’ will finish his stormy 17-year major league career with 335, hitting 75% of his round-trippers as a member of New York’s other team, the Mets.

Tommy Lasorda 1000 victory

Tommy Lasorda announces that he is retiring as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers

After a mild heart attack last month, Tommy Lasorda, 68-year-old Dodger manager of twenty years, announces his retirement due to his health. Bill Russell is named as his replacement.

The Indians trade 2B Carlos Baerga and IF Alvaro Espinoza to the Mets in exchange for 3B Jeff Kent and SS Jose Vizcaino. Baerga, a former All-Star, is last in hitting and fielding among American League second basemen.

In the Reds’ 2 – 1 loss to the Astros, Reds infielder Chris Sabo shatters his bat in the 2nd inning strewing pieces of cork over the field. He’ll be suspended for seven games for using a corked bat.

After a mild heart attack last month, Tommy Lasorda, 68 year-old Dodger manager of twenty years, announces his retirement due to his health. The future Hall of Fame skipper, who was named the National League Manager of the Year in 1983 and ’88, led Los Angeles to four pennants and two World Series championships during his 21 seasons at the helm.

The Mets deal Jeff Kent along with Jose Vizcaino to the Indians for Carlos Baerga and Alvaro Espinoza. The trade, considered to be one of the worst in franchise history, will be a bust for New York when Baerga hits only .267 in three non-productive seasons in the Big Apple, and Kent goes on to win an MVP award and posts Hall of Fame numbers for a second baseman during his 17-year tenure in the major leagues.

Chris Sabo will be suspended for seven games, losing approximately $70,000 in salary, and the Reds will be fined $25,000 as the result of his use of a doctored bat in today’s 2-1 loss to Houston at Cinergy Field. The Cincinnati third baseman will claim the bat, which was hollowed out and filled with pieces of rubber balls, wasn’t his, but one of three offered to him by the batboy after he had broken his bat during a plate appearance in the second inning.

Boston gets a leadoff hitter when the Mariners trade OF Darren Bragg to the Red Sox in exchange for P Jamie Moyer. Moyer, in a portent of his future success with the M’s, is 7-1.

The Reds acquire OF Kevin Mitchell from the Red Sox for minor leaguers Brad Tweedlie and Roberto Mejia. Cincy also sells OF Eric Anthony to the Rockies.

The Giants trade starting pitcher Mark Leiter to the Expos in exchange for Kirk Rueter. ‘Woody’ will compile a 105-70 record during his ten-year tenure with San Francisco, while Al’s right-handed brother will post a 4-2 mark during his one season playing north of the border.

cecil fielder

New York Yankees acquire slugging DH/first baseman Cecil “Big Daddy” Fielder from the Detroit Tigers

The Reds Sox send veteran Mike Stanton to the Rangers for two young relievers, Mark Brandenburg and Kerry Lacy. The deal is made at 11:55 p.m, beating the trading deadline by five minutes.

The Angels trade IF Damion Easley to the Tigers in exchange for P Greg Gohr.

At the trading deadline, Detroit trades 1B-DH Cecil Fielder, 32, to the Yankees for OF-DH Ruben Sierra and minor league P Matt Drews. The Yankees also obtain P David Weathers from the Marlins for P Mark Hutton, but will send him to the minors in three weeks.

The Dodgers obtain OF Chad Curtis from the Tigers in exchange for pitchers Joey Eischen and John Cummings. Curtis will lead off in place of the cancer-stricken Brett Butler.

The Phillies trade P Terry Mulholland, 33, to the Mariners in exchange for struggling blue-chipper Desi Relaford.

The Padres acquire OF Greg Vaughn, with 31 homers in Milwaukee, and a player to be named in exchange for P Bryce Florie, P Ron Villone and OF Marc Newfield.

The Mariners club the Brewers, 9 – 3, hitting seven homers in the game. Jay Buhner, Ken Griffey and Alex Rodriguez each have a pair, with Brian Hunter adding one. Sterling Hitchcock (11-4) is the winner.

The Tigers deal first baseman Cecil Fielder to the Yankees for outfielder Ruben Sierra and minor league prospect Matt Drews. The swap marks the first time in major league history that a trade involves two players who both have more than 220 home runs.

The Red Sox put Jose Canseco on the disabled list for back surgery. With Kevin Mitchell and Canseco gone from the outfield, the Sox defense will improve and so will their record. But they lose today, 9 – 4, to the Royals, as Roger Clemens (4-11) is tagged for seven runs in six innings.

The Mets make a team-record seven errors in handing a 13 – 9 win to the Pirates. The Bucs get seven unearned runs.

The Braves defeat the Dodgers, 5 – 3, in 18 innings. Rookie P Brad Woodall picks up his first victory with 2 2/3 innings of hitless relief.

The Braves end their 17-game 20-day road trip, with a 6 – 4 win over the Dodgers. The extended road stay is caused by the Atlanta-based Olympics.

Jim Bunning Earl Weaver Ned Hanlon

Jim Bunning, Earl Weaver, Bill Foster, and Ned Hanlon are inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame.

The Orioles score six runs in the 8th inning to take a 13 – 3 lead over the Indians. After scoring one run in their half of the inning, Cleveland comes back with six of their own in the 9th, but falls three short and loses, 13 – 10. Chris Hoiles drives home four runs for the Orioles.

Darryl Strawberry strokes three home runs off Kevin Tapani in the Yankees’ 9 – 2 victory over the White Sox. In doing so, he becomes just the 8th player to hit three in a game in both leagues.

Marcel Lachemann of the stumbling Angels quits as manager. John McNamara will take over for the rest of the season.

Eddie Murray’s 494th homer moves him ahead of Lou Gehrig to 15th place on the all-time list. The two-run homer in the 6th inning breaks a tie as Baltimore beats the Brewers‚ 6 – 4.

Darryl Strawberry powers a pair of homers to lead the Yankees to an 8 – 4 win over the White Sox. Strawberry now has 5 homers in his last 9 at bats.

The Rangers acquire P John Burkett (6-10) from the Marlins in exchange for P Ryan Dempster and a player to be named.

Fernando Valenzuela limits Pittsburgh to three hits in 7 2/3 innings and Greg Vaughn hits the 100-RBI mark with a solo homer to lead the Padres to a 4 – 1 win. Vaughn, who had 95 RBIs with Milwaukee before being traded, is the first player to hit 100 ribbies in a season while playing in both leagues.

The Tigers defeat the Yankees, 5 – 3, as DH Ruben Sierra, traded nine days ago from the Yankees, drives home all five Detroit runs with a double and 3-run homer.

Cal Ripken records his 2,500th career hit with a single off White Sox right-hander Bill Simas in the Orioles’ 4-3 loss to Chicago in 10-innings. The Baltimore infielder will end his 21-year career with a total of 3,184 hits.

Eddie Murray blasts his 18th career grand slam, highlighting an 8-run 9th inning

Eddie Murray blasts his 18th career grand slam, highlighting an 8-run 9th inning

The Rockies jump to a 7 – 0 lead over the Braves, then need back-to-back homers in the 10th to win, 9 – 7. Andres Galarraga, with his second homer, and Vinny Castilla homer off Mark Wohlers for the victory. Galarraga now leads the National League in RBIs with 107.

The Royals roll to an 18 – 3 win over California as Johnny Damon hits a grand slam and drives in seven runs. Jim Abbott loses his 11th straight decision.

Clemson University P Kris Benson becomes the highest-paid draft choice ever. He logs on with the Pirates for a $2 million signing bonus.

Geronimo Berroa hits three home runs in the Athletics’ 11 – 1 win over Minnesota. He becomes the 10th player in history to have a pair of three-homer games in the same season. Berroa accounts for 5 of Oakland’s runs and Mark McGwire accounts for 4 with a pair of homers himself. McGwire‚ who missed 30 games‚ now has 41 homers.

The Expos defeat the Astros‚ 8 – 1‚ in a game marked by a 3rd-inning 10-minute brawl which will result in 4-game suspensions being handed down to Henry Rodriguez‚ Moises Alou‚ David Segui‚ Jeff Juden‚ and John Cangelosi. Danny Darwin gets 6 games. Houston manager Terry Collins receives a gash that will require four stitches to close when he’s hit by a thrown batting helmet. The fight starts when Rodriguez is plunked by a pitch‚ the apparent result of his stopping and admiring a homer‚ his 30th‚ he hit his last time up. Mark Leiter pitches a three-hitter to win‚ although he gives up a leadoff homer to Brian Hunter.

Robin Ventura belts his team-record 9th grand slam to pace the White Sox to an 8 – 4 win over the Yankees. David Weathers serves up the gopher.

The Braves obtain 3B Terry Pendleton from the Marlins in exchange for minor league OF Roosevelt Brown.

After failing to score in the first three innings, the Giants proceed to plate runs in each of their next six at bats, going on to defeat the Pirates, 12 – 10. Rick Wilkins’ pinch-hit grand slam in the 8th leads the Jints on to victory.

Oklahoma City’s Rick Helling pitches a perfect game, winning, 4 – 0, over Nashville.

The Red Sox trade C Mike Stanley and IF Randy Brown to the Yankees in exchange for P Tony Armas and a player to be named.

The Angels trade pitchers Ryan Hancock and Steven Agosto and a player to be named to the Padres for OF Rickey Henderson. To make room for the future Hall of Famer, the Angels release another future HOFer, Eddie Murray. Murray will sign with the Dodgers.

The Reds defeat the Padres, 2 – 0, on a combined one-hitter by Mike Morgan (7 innings), Stan Belinda (1 inning) and Jeff Shaw (1 inning). OF Mark Sweeney’s single is San Diego’s only hit.

Giants infielder Shawon Dunston is operated on and will miss the remainder of the season. Dunston suffered a head injury on August 4th in a collision with Astro SS Ricky Gutierrez.

Marlins OF Andre Dawson, in his 21st major league season, announces he will retire at the end of the year.

The Braves bring up Andruw Jones. He is believed to be the first player since Phils pitcher Pat Combs in 1989 to start a season in A ball, then play in AA, triple A, and the majors in the same season.

The Red Sox clip the Blue Jays, 8 – 6, on a four-run 9th inning. Jacob Brumfield has a pair of homers for the Jays and Otis Nixon swipes four bases.

The Orioles score 15 runs over the final three innings on the way to an 18 – 5 win over the Athletics. Baltimore slugs five homers, including a pair by Chris Hoiles.

P Bobby Seay, the top pick of the Chicago White Sox in the June draft, is declared a free agent after the team failed to tender him a formal contract within 15 days of the draft, a violation of major league rules. Seay is the first player in the 32-year history of the draft to be declared a free agent in the summer he was selected; three more draftees – Travis Lee, John Patterson and Matt White – will also benefit from the ruling and sign lucrative contracts as a result.

Larry Walker, out two months with a broken collarbone, makes his first start for the Rockies, but it doesn’t help as they lose for the 10th straight time at Joe Robbie Stadium, 7 – 6. The Marlins score three in the 8th to win. Gary Sheffield belts his 34th homer for the Fish.

frank thomas 3 homerun game

Frank Thomas hits three homers for the White Sox, becoming the Sox career home run leader

The 1st-place Braves top Curt Schilling and the Phils, 8 – 5. Terrell Wade wins his 4th against no losses and collects his first major league hit. Marquis Grissom extends his hitting streak to 20 games with a single and double.

Trailing, 2 – 0, the Orioles score 14 runs over the final three innings to defeat the Athletics, 14 – 3, in the first game of a doubleheader. Rafael Palmeiro drives home six runs for Baltimore, and each member of the starting lineup, with the exception of leadoff man Roberto Alomar, gets at least two hits. The Orioles stroke 19 hits for the second day in a row off Oakland pitching. Baltimore also takes the nightcap, 5 – 4 in 10 innings.

Playing for his 7th team in six years, Mark Whiten hits a pinch hit homer in his first at bat for Seattle to help beat the Yanks. In his last at-bat for the Braves before being traded for farmhand Roger Blanco, Whiten belted a three-run pinch homer to beat the Phils, 5 – 2. Whiten is the 45th player used by Seattle this season.

Due to a conflict with the Republican National Convention being staged in San Diego, the first major league game ever played outside of the United States or Canada takes place in Monterrey, Mexico, with the ‘home team’ Padres out-slugging the Mets at Estadio de Beisbol, 15-10. Fernando Valenzuela, a native of the Mexican city of Navojoa, opens the three-game series and goes six innings to get the victory for the first-place Friars.

Boston’s Roger Clemens (6-11) stops the Angels, 6 – 0, collecting his first shutout since April 20, 1994. It is the Rocket’s 37th shutout, leaving him one behind Cy Young for the most in Sox history.

Thomas Howard has his 4th consecutive three-hit game to lead the Reds to a 5 – 3 win over the Rockies. Howard has two doubles and a run-scoring triple and scores three runs.

Cleveland 3B Jim Thome strokes four hits, including a pair of homers, and drives home six runs to lead the Indians to an 11 – 3 victory over the Tigers.

In a wild contest in New York, the Mariners jump out to an 8 – 0 lead over the Yankees. The New Yorkers strike back with seven runs in their half of the 4th inning to edge within 1. Seattle scores twice in the 6th, but the Yankees tie the score in the bottom half of the inning with three runs of their own. The score remains tied at 10 – 10 going into the 12th inning. Seattle scores three in the top half of the inning, two on 1B Paul Sorrento’s second homer of the game. New York fights back with two in the bottom of the inning, but falls one shy, losing, 13 – 12.

The Phils release Mitch Williams, who was 1-2 with Scranton-Wilkes-Barre.

Rondell White hits a 2nd-inning grand slam off a Tom Candiotti curve ball, to give the Expos a 7 – 3 win over the Dodgers. The Expos have a one-game lead over the Cardinals for the wild card spot.

In the Cubs’ 8 – 1 win over Florida, Sammy Sosa picks up his 100th RBI the hard way when he is hit by a Mark Hutton pitch with the bases loaded in the 1st inning. The pitch breaks Sosa’s wrist and the slugger won’t play again this season, stopping his streak of consecutive games played at 304.

Rangers SS Kevin Elster drops a throw, ending Texas’s errorless streak at an American League record-tying 15 games. The Indians defeat the Rangers, 10 – 4, behind their powerful middle of the lineup: Manny Ramirezhits a grand slam, Albert Belle has a homer and two triples, and Jim Thome homers.

Ken Caminiti has a grand slam and six RBIs to lead the Padres to a 7 – 4 win over the Expos. Starter Scott Sanders (6-4) pitches 6 2/3 innings of no-hit ball before Darrin Fletcher singles.

Derek Jeter hits a home run off Jason Dickson’s first major league pitch, but that’s all the scoring for the slumping Yankees as the Angels’ rookie wins, 7 – 1. Chili Davis has a pair of homers, the first off loser Jimmy Key (9-10).

The Rockies end Andy Benes’s 10-game win streak, beating the Cardinals, 10 – 2. The Rocks also claim Giants C Steve Decker, while the Giants claim the Rocks’ Trenidad Hubbard, essentially trading both waived players for one another.

Phils ace Curt Schilling faces 28 batters in a 2-hit, 6 – 0 win over the Dodgers. Schilling strikes out 12. Rookie Scott Rolen hits his first two major league homers, both off Hideo Nomo.

Cal Ripken is 4 for 5, including a homer, to lead the surging Orioles to a 10 – 5 win over the Mariners. The O’s overcome a pair of homers by Alex Rodriguez to win their 16th in 22 games.

1996 – The Yankees claim Luis Sojo off waivers.

1996 – The Yankees obtain P Graeme Lloyd and former Rookie of the Year Pat Listach from the Brewers in exchange for OF Gerald Williams and pitcher Bob Wickman. Lloyd is put to work and provides late-inning relief as the first-place Yankees beat the A’s, 5 – 3. The Yanks will officially complain to the American League that the Brewers sent damaged goods in the two players, but the complaint is ignored. However, the Brewers will take back Listach and send Ricky Bones to the Yanks on the 29th. The Yanks will file a grievance over Lloyd’s injury next month.

Atlanta defeats Chicago, 6 – 5, led by 1B Fred McGriff, who strokes five hits, including a double and two homers, and drives in four runs.

Cubs minor leaguer Kerry Wood of Daytona combines on his second no-hitter, a 3 – 0 win over Vero Beach. Wood goes eight innings; he pitched seven innings of no-hit ball on July 28 against Tampa.

1996 – Orlando Miller belts a two-run homer off Todd Stottlemyre in the bottom of the ninth to stun St. Louis, 3-1 . Shane Reynolds gets the win with a complete-game five-hitter. 

The Red Sox defeat the Mariners by a score of 8 – 5. Ken Griffey, Jr. and Alex Rodriguez hit back-to-back homers for Seattle in the 8th inning, marking the 17th time this season Mariner players have hit consecutive homers, for a major league record.

The Cubs defeat the Braves, 3 – 2, stopping Marquis Grissom’s hitting streak at 28 games.

The Rockies defeat the Pirates, 13 – 9, despite five hits, including a home run, by Pittsburgh 2B Jeff King. Larry Walker and Vinny Castilla each drive home four runs for Colorado.

The Cards’ Alan Benes, 1-7 in his first eight decisions, loses 4 – 1 to the Astros. It is Benes’ first loss after reeling off 10 straight wins since his rocky start. Jeff Bagwell hits his 28th home run and drives in his 100th run for Houston, now up by 1 1/2 games over the Cards. Donne Wall is the winner.

The Giants defeat the visiting Expos, 7 – 2, and Barry Bonds sits, ending his consecutive games played streak at 357, a Giants record. Bonds had pinch hit in the previous two games.

A monument in center field at Yankee Stadium is dedicated to Mickey Mantle, who died of liver cancer last year. The commemorative structure, the first to be erected by the team in 47 years, joins three other monuments in the Bronx ballpark that honor the legacies of Miller Huggins, Babe Ruth, and Lou Gehrig.

A monument in center field at Yankee Stadium is dedicated to Mickey Mantle, who died of liver cancer last year. The commemorative structure, the first to be erected by the team in 47 years, joins three other monuments in the Bronx ballpark that honor the legacies of Miller Huggins, Babe Ruth, and Lou Gehrig.

Brian Lesher becomes the first person born in Belgium to appear in a major league game. The 25 year-old from Wilrij starts in right-field and enjoys a 1-for-3 day at the plate, including a run-scoring single in the sixth inning off Andy Pettitte in the A’s 6-4 victory at Yankee Stadium.

The Giants’ William Van Landingham allows two hits over eight innings and defeats the visiting Phils, 1 – 0. At one point, Van Landingham retires 17 straight hitters. Curt Schilling allows a run in the 1st, and strikes out 11, in taking the loss.

The Mets replaced Dallas Green as their manager with Bobby Valentine, a former coach who left the organization to manage in Texas. During his stormy seven-year tenure in New York, Bobby ‘V’ will compile a 536-467 (.534) record and will lead the team to the NL pennant in 2000.

With a ten year, $20 million deal, Pro Player, the sports apparel division of Fruit of the Loom, becomes the first sports marketing and products company to have its name used as the moniker for a stadium. The renaming of Joe Robbie Stadium, the home of the Florida Marlins, to Pro Player Stadium sparks controversy as many Miamians believe the name of the benefactor, whose name will be removed, should still be included due to his generosity and efforts to fund the original project.

The Twins defeat the Blue Jays, 6 – 4, in 11 innings, with the help of five hits from DH Paul Molitor.

Roger Clemens (8-11) wins his 4th in a row, beating the Angels, 2 – 1.

Seattle’s 10 – 2 win over the visiting Yankees is delayed 10 minutes by a bench-clearing brawl in the 8th inning following a close pitch by M’s rookie Tim Davis. The M’s John Marzano and Yanks Paul O’Neill and Jeff Nelsonall receive 2-game suspensions, with the New Yorkers each getting fined $1,000. Nelson opened the 8th by plunking Joey Cora.

Vinny Castilla reaches the 100-RBI plateau, joining teammates Andres Galarraga, Ellis Burks, and Dante Bichette. Not since the Cubs and Phillies of 1929 has a team had four players reach the mark.

The Indians finish the season 12-0 against Detroit when they beat the hometown team at Tiger Stadium, 9-3. Cleveland, en route to a division title in the AL Central, becomes only the seventh team since 1900 to sweep a season series from an opponent.

The Braves acquire P Denny Neagle, who passes waivers, from the Pirates in exchange for minor leaguers Ron Wright and Corey Pointer, and a player to be named (Jason Schmidt)

The Braves acquire P Denny Neagle, who passes waivers, from the Pirates in exchange for minor leaguers Ron Wright and Corey Pointer, and a player to be named (Jason Schmidt)

Catcher Joe Oliver drives home seven runs to lead Cincinnati to an 18 – 7 pounding of Colorado. Oliver hits a grand slam and a 3-run double.

OF Mark Whiten hits a grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the 9th inning to give Seattle a 9 – 6 win over Baltimore. Alex Rodriguez gets five hits for the Mariners, including a double and two home runs.

The last-place Angels defeat the Yankees, 14 – 3, behind OF Garret Anderson’s seven RBI. Anderson has two doubles and a home run.

In the battle of brothers, the Dodgers’ Ramon Martinez beats his brother Pedro Martinez of the Expos, 2 – 1. Mike Piazza and Eric Karros hit consecutive home runs in the 4th for all the scoring off Pedro, while the Expos manage just three hits. The two had never faced each other before.

The Orioles obtain two right-handed sluggers, 3B Todd Zeile and OF Pete Incaviglia, from the Phillies for two players to be named. Free agents at the end of the season, both will sign elsewhere.

Seattle obtains Dave Hollins from the Twins, and releases Jeff Manto, who signs with the Red Sox. Manto had been swapped on July 22 by the Red Sox.

Seattle obtains Dave Hollins from the Twins, and releases Jeff Manto, who signs with the Red Sox. Manto had been swapped on July 22 by the Red Sox.

The Orioles become the first major league team to have seven players hit 20 or more home runs in the same season when Bobby Bonilla goes deep off right-hander Bob Wells in the first inning of a 9-6 loss to Seattle at the Kingdome. The other Baltimore sluggers to reach the plateau are Rafael Palmeiro, Roberto Alomar, Cal Ripken, B.J. Surhoff, Brady Anderson, and Chris Hoiles.

Adding their 8th new player this month, the Yankees reacquire 3B Charlie Hayes from the Pirates in exchange for a player to be named. This makes Wade Boggs a platoon player and he angrily states, “I’ll get my 3,000 hitssomewhere.”

Eddie Murray clouts his 499th homer and newly-acquired Pete Incaviglia adds a grand slam as the Orioles beat the Mariners, 5 – 2. The O’s are four back of the Yankees, down from 12 games on July 29th.

Mark McGwire pounds his 45th homer and drives in three runs as the A’s beat the Red Sox, 7 – 0. The loss snaps the Sox’s 5-game win streak. The 3rd-place Sox have been the American League’s hottest team since the All-Star break, going 33-17; on August 1st, Boston was 17 games out of first place, and since then have gained 11 games. A’s pitchers will record shutouts in their next two games as well.

The Padres’ Scott Sanders pitches one-hit ball over eight innings and strikes out 10 to beat the Expos, 6 – 0. David Segui has the only hit for Montreal.

Sean Berry drives in six as Houston blanks the Pirates, 10-0.

Florida scores five runs in the top of the 1st inning to jump out to a quick lead over Cincinnati, but the Reds bounce back with seven runs in the 2nd, and don’t look back. They score four more in the 5th, two in the 6th, six in the 7th, and three in the 8th to defeat the Marlins, 22 – 8. Kevin Mitchell leads the way with six runs batted in for the Reds.

The Indians obtain IF Kevin Seitzer from the Brewers in exchange for OF Jeromy Burnitz.

Alex Rodriguez borrows a bat from Ken Griffey and belts a 3-run homer to lead the Mariners to a 5 – 1 win

David Cone

David Cone pitches 7 innings of no hit ball in his return

It seems like old timers day as the Cardinals whip the NL Central-leading Astros, 8 – 7. Willie McGee, playing for Ron Gant, has four hits and three RBI, while Ozzie Smith has three hits, three RBI, and four runs.

Mike Greenwell drives in all 9 runs in Red Sox win

Mike Greenwell drives in all 9 runs in Red Sox win

Ron Gant hits two doubles and scores three times as the Cards move into the NL Central lead with a 12 – 3 win over the Astros.

Marquis Grissom opens the game with a leadoff home run off the Reds’ Dave Burba, but it’s the only Braves hit in the Reds’ 5 – 1 win. The 1st-place Braves have now lost four straight.

Todd Stottlemyre and the Cardinals beat the Astros at Busch Stadium, 12-5. With his win, the Redbirds’ right-hander and his dad Mel set the major league record with 259 victories by a father (164) and son (95), surpassing Dizzy and Steve Trout.

Andy Pettitte wins his 20th as the Yankees prevail over the A’s, 10 – 3. Paul O’Neill and Tino Martinez hit solo homers in the 4th inning. The Yanks’ last 20-game winner was Ron Guidry in 1985.

In pursuit of his 7th batting title, Tony Gwynn is 4 for 4 in the Padres’ 2 – 1 win over the Phils. Gwynn, hitting .352, needs to average nearly five at bats in the final 22 games to qualify for the batting crown.

Babe Dahlgren, the man who replaced Lou Gehrig at first base to end the streak, dies in Arcadia, California. In the game, he goes 2-for-4, including a home run, in a 22-2 victory over the Tigers at Briggs Stadium.

Eddie Murray of the Baltimore Orioles hits his 500th career home run

Eddie Murray of the Baltimore Orioles hits his 500th career home run

Brett Butler returns to the Dodgers’ line-up four months after having surgery for throat cancer. The 39-year-old center fielder scores the decisive run in a 3 – 2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Paul Molitor reaches the 200-hit plateau for the fourth time in his career when he singles off Chuck Finley in the Twins’ 6-2 victory over California at the Metrodome. The Minnesota DH becomes the second major leaguer to reach the milestone as a 40 year-old, joining Sam Rice, who accomplished the feat while playing with the Senators in 1930.

Brett Butler returns to the Dodger lineup four months after having surgery for throat cancer. The 39 year-old center fielder scores the decisive run in the team’s 3-2 victory over the Bucs.

After reaching a sponsorship deal with a local energy company, the Reds officially rename Riverfront Stadium to Cinergy Field. The ballpark, a multi-purpose, circular cookie-cutter stadium, which opened in 1970, will be imploded in 2002 after serving the team for 32 seasons to help make room for Cincinnati’s new home, the Great American Ball Park.

9/6/1996: Ken Griffey Jr. homered off Jack McDowell at Jacobs Field in Cleveland. The blast came in the first inning but was rained out. Griffey finished the year with 49 homers.

The Athletics collect 19 hits and pound the Royals, 13 – 6, as Mark McGwire hits his 48th home run. He also reaches the 100 RBI level.

In the Phils’ 4 – 2 win over the Cubs, Phils 3B Scott Rolen suffers a broken wrist when he is hit by a Steve Trachsel pitch in his second at bat. Rolen has exactly 130 at bats, which means he will still technically be a rookienext year.

Complaining of abdominal pains the day of his scheduled start at Yankee Stadium, Juan Guzman is rushed to New York’s Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital where he undergoes an emergency appendectomy. He won’t pitch any more this season and his 2.93 ERA will lead the American League.

In Atlanta, John Smoltz strikes out 13 and wins his 21st as the Braves stop the Mets, 6 – 1. Jermaine Dye hits a 3-run home run off Bobby Jones for the big blow.

In the Expos’ 2 – 1 win over the Marlins, Marlin LF Joe Orsulak throws out three runners in a span of five batters. He throws out two Expos at the plate on consecutive plays to end the 3rd, and throws out another in the 4th. Mark Leiter, 4-0, since being traded from San Francisco on July 30, picks up the win.

The Cards win their 8th in a row as pitcher Donovan Osborne belts his first major league home run – a grand slam – to beat the Padres, 8 – 3.

Mike Mussina shuts out the Tigers, 6 – 0, for his 19th win, giving the Orioles their first shutout of the year. It takes them 141 games to do it.

With 129 at-bats and a mediocre .254 batting average at the start of his major league career, Scott Rolen misses the remainder of the season, when his arm is broken by a pitch thrown by Cubs right-hander Steve Trachsel. The hit-by-pitch will prove to be a blessing in disguise when the Phillies third baseman, technically still a rookie due to one less at-bat last season, will have an outstanding year next season, winning the National League Rookie of the Year award.

In a pregame ceremony in front of a sellout crowd at the Metrodome, the Twins bid farewell to Kirby Puckett, one of the team's most popular players in recent years. After a remarkable 12-year Hall of Fame career, the talented and personable outfielder was forced to retire in July because of blindness in his right eye caused by glaucoma.

In a pregame ceremony in front of a sellout crowd at the Metrodome, the Twins bid farewell to Kirby Puckett, one of the team’s most popular players in recent years. After a remarkable 12-year Hall of Fame career, the talented and personable outfielder was forced to retire in July because of blindness in his right eye caused by glaucoma.

Todd Hundley joins Mickey Mantle as the only other switch hitter to hit 40 homers in a season. His 40th home run also breaks Darryl Strawberry's Met club record for most homers in a single season.

Todd Hundley joins Mickey Mantle as the only other switch hitter to hit 40 homers in a season. His 40th home run also breaks Darryl Strawberry’s Met club record for most homers in a single season.

In the Indians’ doubleheader split with the Mariners, Jim Thome knocks in his 100th run in the opener, a 15 – 4 win. Thome reaches the 30 homer, 100 runs, 100 RBI, 100 walks mark – just the second Indian to ever do that. Al Rosen in 1950 was the other. Charles Nagy (15-4) wins game 1, while the M’s prevail, 6 – 5, in the nitecap.

A Gary Sheffield 5th-inning home run against the Expos’ Pedro Martinez breaks the major league home run record for a season; the previous record of 4,458 was set 1987.

In the Dodgers’ 5 – 4 win over the Reds, Brett Butler breaks his hand on a bunt attempt when he is hit by a pitch. The 39-year-old Butler, who battled back from cancer surgery, is out for the year after playing five games.

The Expos use nine pitchers in a vain attempt to stop the Cubs. Chicago wins, 10 – 3. The nine pitchers in a regulation game matches the major league mark set by the 1949 Browns, who used nine in a season-ending promotion.

After hitting a home run off right-hander Francisco Cordova earlier in the game, Ken Caminiti goes deep in the bottom of the seventh inning off southpaw Matt Ruebel, making it the fourth time this season he has homered from both sides of the plate in a game. The Padres’ third baseman breaks his own major league record, which he established last year when he accomplished the feat three times.

1996 – Rockies OF Ellis Burks steals his 30th base of the season, making him the 19th player in history to join the 30-30 club. He hits his 37th homer of the season and drives in five runs in Colorado’s 16 – 8 win over Atlanta.

Alex Rodriguez, in an 8-5 win over the Royals, sets a major league shortstop record with his 88th extra base hit. The Mariners infielder’s first-inning double off Chris Haney in the Kauffman Stadium contest establishes the new mark.

Milwaukee trounces Texas, 15 – 4, led by 2B Fernando Vina who goes 5 for 6, with a triple, two home runs, three RBIs, and four runs scored.

With two home runs and a single, Yankee center fielder Bernie Williams has eight RBIs, helping the Bronx Bombers defeat Detroit, 12-3.

1996 – Toronto C Charlie O’Brien unveils a hockey-style catcher’s mask in the game against the Yankees. The mask is a success, but the Blue Jays lose to the New Yorkers, 4 – 1. Andy Pettitte wins his 21st.

Alex Rodriguez became the first player in Mariners history to collect 200 hits in a season. The 20 year-old Seattle shortstop, who gets an RBI single off Minnesota’s Travis Miller in the first inning to reach the milestone, will finish the season with 215 hits and a Major League leading .358 batting average.

Alex Rodriguez became the first player in Mariners history to collect 200 hits in a season. The 20 year-old Seattle shortstop, who gets an RBI single off Minnesota’s Travis Miller in the first inning to reach the milestone, will finish the season with 215 hits and a Major League leading .358 batting average.

Dante Bichette joins his teammate Ellis Burks as a member of the 30/30 club when he homers in the sixth inning of Colorado’s 6-3 victory over Houston at Coors Field. The Rockies join the 1987 New York Mets as the only teams in history to have two 30-30 players (Howard Johnson and Darryl Strawberry) during the same season.

The City of Houston and Harris County agree to terms with the Astros to build a $265 million stadium with a retractable roof. The deal needs several approvals, including a November 5referendum.

Mets C Todd Hundley hits his 41st home run of the season to set a new major league mark for catchers

Mets C Todd Hundley hits his 41st home run of the season to set a new major league mark for catchers

Mark McGwire hits his 50th home run off Cleveland hurler Chad Ogea, becoming the 13th player in major league history to reach that plateau. The A’s first baseman gives the milestone ball to his eight year-old son, Matthew.

Thanks to Andres Galarraga’s three-run homer the Rockies establish a big league record for runs scored at home. Colorado, which will amass 658 tallies at Coors Field, scores its 626th, 627th and 628th runs of the season when the “Big Cat” goes deep, to surpass the 1950 Red Sox who crossed the plate 625 times.

Frank Thomas breaks the White Sox mark for home runs established by Carlton Fisk in 1993. His 215th homer comes off Tim Wakefield in a 9 – 8 loss to the Red Sox.

Philadelphia C Benito Santiago drives in all his team’s runs with three consecutive home runs in the Phillies’ 6 – 1 win over the Cubs At Wrigley Field. Santiago will hit a homer tomorrow in his first at bat to tie a record for consecutive homers.

In a 16-6 rout of the Tigers, the Orioles break the major league record for team home runs in a season, passing the 1961 Yankees mark of 240.

Thanks to Andres Galarraga’s three-run homer the Rockies establish a big league record for runs scored at home. Colorado, which will amass 658 tallies at Coors Field, scores its 626th, 627th, and 628th runs of the season when the ‘Big Cat’ goes deep to surpass the 1950 Red Sox, who crossed the plate 625 times.

The Rangers retire their first number in franchise history when they honor Nolan Ryan. The future owner of the team, who wore uniform jersey #34, pitched two no-hitters and won his 300th career game during his five years on the mound for Texas.

Frank Thomas slams his 215th career home run in a White Sox uniform to surpass Carlton Fisk as the franchise all-time leader. The Big Hurt’s historic homer is the first of three round-trippers he hits in a 9-8 loss to the Red Sox at Boston’s Fenway Park.

Thanks to Andres Galarraga’s three-run homer the Rockies establish a big league record for runs scored at home. Colorado, which will amass 658 tallies at Coors Field, scores its 626th, 627th, and 628th runs of the season when the ‘Big Cat’ goes deep to surpass the 1950 Red Sox, who crossed the plate 625 times.

Frank Thomas slams his 215th career home run in a White Sox uniform to surpass Carlton Fisk as the franchise all-time leader. The Big Hurt’s historic homer is the first of three round-trippers he hits in a 9-8 loss to the Red Sox at Boston’s Fenway Park.

Paul Molitor of the Minnesota Twins collects the 3,000th hit of his career.

Paul Molitor of the Minnesota Twins collects the 3,000th hit of his career.

Backed by two three-run homers from Tim Raines, celebrating his 37th birthday, Jimmy Key stops the Blue Jays, 10 – 0. Raines’ second home run, a 457-foot blast to CF, is the longest hit by a Yankee this year. The Yanks are now three games up in the American League East.

In their 5 – 2 loss to the Braves, Mets OF Lance Johnson hits his 20th triple. He’s the first National Leaguer to reach that plateau since Willie Mays in 1957.

Steve Finley’s lead-off home run in the 11th gives the Padres a 2 – 1 win over the host Giants. San Francisco’s only run is Barry Bonds’ 40th homer, and he joins Hank Aaron and Jose Canseco as the only players with 40 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a season.

The Mariners stop the Rangers, 6 – 0, as Jamie Moyer pitches eight innings of hitless ball. Edgar Martinez collects his 50th double, just the 5th player this century to hit 50 doubles in two straight years.

Benito Santiago hits a trio of home runs in his three first at-bats in the Phillies’ 6-1 victory over the Cubs at Wrigley Field. The 31 year-old native of Ponce, Puerto Rico also went deep in his last at-bat in yesterday’s contest in Chicago, giving the Philadelphia backstop four consecutive homers in four at-bats.

nomo

Dodger right-hander Hideo Nomo no-hits the Rockies, 9-0, at Coors Field, becoming the only big league hurler to accomplish the feat in the thin air of Denver

Pittsburgh manager Jim Leyland announces he will leave the Pirates at the end of the season.

The Padres jump out to a 6 – 0 lead over the Giants, but San Francisco fights back to defeat San Diego, 9 – 7, to drop the Pods 1 1/2 games behind the Dodgers in the National League West.

Cincinnati OF Kevin Mitchell is suspended by the Reds for the final 13 games of the season. After receiving permission to stay behind in San Diego on an off-day, Mitchell did not show up in Pittsburgh as expected yesterday or today, precipitating the suspension.

Roger Clemens strikeouts 20 batters a second time

Roger Clemens strikeouts 20 batters a second time

Michael Lasky buys Eddie Murray’s 500th home run ball for $280,000, and it could be worth as much as $500,000 thanks to a 20-year annuity. The new owner, who is the founder of the Psychic Friends Network, plans to put the Camden Yards souvenir on public display for “the people of Baltimore.”

Christie’s Fine Art Auctioneers sell a 1910 T-206 Honus Wagner baseball card to an anonymous buyer for $640,000, including the $60,500 auction house fee.

The International Baseball Association approves the participation of professional baseball players in the summer Olympic Games to be held in the year 2000.

Barry Larkin becomes the first shortstop to become a member of the 30-30 club when he goes deep off Donovan Osborne in the fifth inning in the Reds’ 6-3 victory over St. Louis. The future Hall of Fame infielder joins teammate Eric Davis as only the second Cincinnati player to accomplish the feat.

Atlanta beats the Expos, 8-2, to clinch the National League East. The Braves become the first National League team to take five straight division titles.

Cincinnati 3B Willie Greene leads the Reds to a 6 – 3 victory over the Cubs by hitting three home runs and bringing in 5.

Boston 1B Mo Vaughn slugs three home runs and drives home 5, in the Red Sox’ 13 – 8 win over Baltimore.

Barry Bonds receives an intentional walk, giving him a new National League record of 149 walks in a season

Barry Bonds receives an intentional walk, giving him a new National League record of 149 walks in a season

Jim Leyland loses his last home game as the Pirates manager but receives four standing ovations. The Bucs’ 4th error leads to the go-ahead run in the 11th as the Cards win, 8 – 7.

The Yankees clinch the American League East title by pounding out 20 hits in a 19 – 2 win over the Brewers in the opening game of a doubleheader. The New Yorkers score 10 runs in the 2nd inning after plating four in the opening frame. Tino Martinez leads with five RBIs and David Cone (7-2) is the easy winner. The Yanks take the nitecap, 6 – 2.

1996 – Mike Simms drives in the winning run with a single in the tenth to upend the Mets, 5-4. John Hudek gets the win. The victory snaps a nine-game losing skid that pushes Houston out of the N.L. Central race. 

After being ejected for arguing a strike call in the 1st inning of Baltimore’s game against the Blue Jays, Orioles’ 2B Roberto Alomar spits in the face of umpire John Hirschbeck. Alomar claims he was provoked by Hirschbeck, but the incident will set off a national debate. After the game, Alomar remarks: “I used to respect him a lot. He had problems with his family when his son died – I know that’s something real tough in life – but after that he just changed, personality-wise. He just got real bitter.” When the ump hears about the remarks tomorrow he will charge into the Orioles’ locker room and have to be restrained by fellow ump Jim Joyce.

Barry Bonds steals his 40th base to become the second player to reach 40 homers and 40 steals in a season

The Angels score two runs in the top half of the 15th inning, then hold on as Texas fights back for one in their half, to earn a 4 – 3 victory. LF Garret Anderson gets six hits for California and drives home three runs.

Mark Wohlers sets a Braves record with his 39th save of the season. The right-handed reliever is less than perfect, throwing two wild pitches to give up a ninth-inning run, but hangs on to preserve Atlanta’s 6-4 victory over the Expos at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium.

The Rockies’ Ellis Burks becomes the fourth player to hit 40 home runs and swipe 30 bases in a single season when he goes deep off Dan Carlson with an eighth-inning solo shot in the team’s 8-5 loss to the Giants at Coors Field. The 32 year-old Colorado outfielder joins Hank Aaron (1963 Braves), Jose Canseco (1988 A’s), and Barry Bonds (1996 Giants) in accomplishing the feat.

The Devil Rays become the second team to sign a working agreement with a Japanese professional team. Tampa Bay signs a two-year contract with the Seibu Lions, which includes a four-year option extending the deal through 2002.

Two weeks after the Rangers retire Nolan Ryan’s number, the Astros follow suit and honor the ‘Ryan Express’ by also retiring his #34. The right-handed fireballer played nine seasons for Houston, striking out a total of 1,866 batters en route to winning 106 games that included his 5th no-hitter against L.A. in 1981.

Hitting his 40th homer, Rockies third baseman Vinny Castilla joins Andres Galarraga (47) and Ellis Burks (40) to become the first trio of teammates in 23 years to hit 40 homers for one team. Davey Johnson (43), Darrell Evans (41), and Hank Aaron (40) accomplished the feat for the Braves in 1973.

During a 4-1 loss at the SkyDome, Orioles’ center fielder Brady Anderson becomes the 14th player to hit 50 home runs in a season. The power surge comes as a surprise, given the Baltimore leadoff hitter’s previous season high was only 21 round-trippers.

Although he is four shy of the necessary 502 plate appearances requirement, Tony Gwynn, hitting .353, is given the National League’s batting crown using the Oh-fer Clause, which has been in the rule book for 30 years but never invoked. The addition of four mythical hitless at-bats would leave the Padres outfielder with a .349 average, still five points better than the runner-up Ellis Burks of the Rockies.

1996 – Tony Eusebio doubles home James Mouton with the season’s final run in a 5-4 ten-inning victory over the Marlins. Fans come to honor pitcher Nolan Ryan who sees the Astros retire his #34 jersey. 

Rockies become only the second team in history to boast three players with at least 40 home runs

1996 – Boston fires manager Kevin Kennedy and Philadelphia fires manager Jim Fregosi.

10/3/1996 The Devil Rays and Tropicana Dole Beverages of North America, located in nearby Bradenton, announce an agreement that renames the ThunderDome. The ballpark will become known as Tropicana Field with the city of St. Petersburg receiving more than $13 million as part of the sweet deal.

After three consecutive second-place finishes, the Astros fire manager Terry Collins, whose first-place team collapsed down the stretch. The 47 year-old skipper leaves the position with the best winningest percentage in franchise history, compiling a 224-197 (.532) record during his three-year tenure with Houston.

Albert Belle hits a grand slam to lead the Cleveland Indians to a 9 – 4 win over the Baltimore Orioles in Game 3 of their ALDS.

The New York Yankees score twice in the 9th inning to defeat Texas, 2 – 1, despite Juan Gonzalez’s fourth home run of their American League Division Series. New York takes a 2 games to 1 lead.

Larry Dierker, the Astros’ former player and broadcaster, is named the new manager despite having no previous coaching or managing experience. 

1996 – Bernie Williams homers from each side of the plate and Cecil Fielder breaks a tie with a 7th-inning single as the Yankees beat Texas, 6 – 4, to win the American League Division Series, 3 – 1, and advance to the ALCS.

Vince Naimoli, the founding owner of the Devil Rays, and St. Petersburg Mayor David Fischer preside over the official groundbreaking ceremony for the renovations planned for Tropicana Field, the home of the new American League franchise. The $63 million facelift of the eight year-old facility, originally known as the Florida Suncoast Dome, will take fifteen months to complete.

The Jeffrey Maier Incident and a Yankees Victory

The Jeffrey Maier Incident and a Yankees Victory

The Baltimore Orioles’ 5 – 3 win over the New York Yankees in Game 2 evens the ALCS at one game apiece. Rafael Palmeiro’s 7th-inning home run is the key blow.

Gary Gaetti hits a grand slam off Greg Maddux to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to an 8 - 3 win over the Atlanta Braves and a tie of the NLCS. Todd Stottlemyre gets the victory.

Gary Gaetti hits a grand slam off Greg Maddux to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to an 8 – 3 win over the Atlanta Braves and a tie of the NLCS. Todd Stottlemyre gets the victory.

1996 – Powered by three home runs in the 3rd inning and eight strong innings from Andy Pettitte, the Yankees win their 34th American League pennant with a 6 – 4 victory over Baltimore. The Yankees take the ALCS, 4 games to 1, and will go to the World Series for the first time since 1981.

The Devil Rays name Jamie Reed as the club’s head trainer. The 37 year-old Annapolis, Md native, formerly the assistant trainer for the Orioles, is the first on-field major league hire for the new expansion team.

1996 – The Atlanta Braves, behind Greg Maddux, even the National League Championship Series at three games apiece with a 3 – 1 victory over the Cardinals.

The Atlanta Braves have the biggest blowout in postseason history, beating the St. Louis Cardinals, 15 - 0, in Game 7 of the NLCS 

The Atlanta Braves have the biggest blowout in postseason history, beating the St. Louis Cardinals, 15 – 0, in Game 7 of the NLCS 

1996 – For the third year in a row, a Dodgers member is named Rookie of the Year. Raúl Mondesi, like last year’s pick, Mike Piazza, is a unanimous choice. The fleet Dominican outfielder hit .306 with 16 home runs and 16 assists.

Andruw Jones becomes the fourth rookie in baseball history to hit two home runs in the same World Series game when he goes deep twice in Game 1 at Yankee Stadium. The Braves’ center fielder joins Charlie Keller (1939 – Yankees), Tony Kubek (1957 – Yankees), and Willie McGee (1982 – Cardinals) in accomplishing the feat.

1996 – Greg Maddux of the Atlanta Braves holds the New York Yankees to six hits in eight innings and Fred McGriff drives in three runs in a 4 – 0 win in Game 2 of the World Series.

After being awarded one of the two expansion franchises for Triple-A by the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, Durham officially becomes the home of the Devil Rays’ top farm club beginning in 1998. Tampa Bay and Capitol Broadcasting Co., Inc. jointly own the new North Carolina franchise, but the team will continue to be called the Bulls.

1996 – In the World Series, New York Yankees pitcher David Cone holds the Braves and Bernie Williams drives in three runs in a 5 – 2 win in Game 3 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.

After the Yankees lose the first two games of the Fall Classic at the Stadium, David Cone limits the Braves to four hits and one run in six innings en route to New York’s 5-2 win. The contest will be the first of 14 consecutive World Series victories as the Bronx Bombers start their run of four titles in five years.

After the Yankees lose the first two games of the Fall Classic at the Stadium, David Cone limits the Braves to four hits and one run in six innings en route to New York’s 5-2 win. The contest will be the first of 14 consecutive World Series victories as the Bronx Bombers start their run of four titles in five years.

Yankees mount the biggest comeback in their long World Series history

Yankees mount the biggest comeback in their long World Series history

New York Yankees defeat the Atlanta Braves, 1-0 in game 5 1996 World Series

New York Yankees defeat the Atlanta Braves, 1-0 in game 5 1996 World Series

1996 – Frank Torre, the brother of New York Yankees manager Joe Torre, receives a heart transplant after months of waiting. Frank was the recipient of a World Series ring as a member of the Milwaukee Braves when they beat the Yankees in 1957, and his brother Joe will make him a gift of a World Series ring that’s 39 years newer after Game 6 of the 1996 Series.

New York Yankees clinch their 23rd World Championship by defeating the Atlanta Braves, 3-2

New York Yankees clinch their 23rd World Championship by defeating the Atlanta Braves, 3-2

A major league All-Star team opens an eight-game series in Japan with a 6 – 5 loss to the Japan All-Stars

1996 – The Angels name Terry Collins as their new manager.

Derek Jeter (.314, 10, 78) is the unanimous choice of the 28 BBWAA scribes for the American League's Rookie of the Year

Derek Jeter (.314, 10, 78) is the unanimous choice of the 28 BBWAA scribes for the American League’s Rookie of the Year

1996 – Houston voters approve a new baseball-only stadium to be built downtown, with a slim 51% of the vote. Astros ownership had threatened to leave Houston as the NFL Oilers are doing, if the stadium was not okayed. 

In Chicago, the MLB owners decisively reject a proposed labor agreement that would have ended a three-year stalemate. The 18-12 vote threatens to plunge baseball back into full-fledged hostilities between the owners and players’ union.

Todd Hollandsworth of the Los Angeles Dodgers is voted the National League Rookie of the Year, for the fifth year in a row that the award has gone to a Dodgers player. The previous four were Eric Karros (1992), Mike Piazza (1993), Raúl Mondesi (1994) and Hideo Nomo (1995). A year ago, Hollandsworth had 103 at-bats in 41 games played, but a broken right hand in May and a broken right thumb in August limited his playing time and kept him eligible for the rookie award.

At Yokohama, Central League All-Star Hideki Matsui hits a grand slam off pitcher Shane Reynolds

At Yokohama, Central League All-Star Hideki Matsui hits a grand slam off pitcher Shane Reynolds

1996 – At Tokyo, in the finale of the Japanese team against the MLB All-Stars, Japan rallies for three runs to earn an 8 – 8 tie. The Americans hit .302 in the series with 11 home runs, and come away with four wins, two losses, and two ties. None of the games go to extra innings. Steve Finley, who hit 8 for 20 with 9 RBI, is named MVP.

John smoltz

John Smoltz, who won a major league-high 24 games for the Atlanta Braves, wins the 1996 National League Cy Young Award 

Milwaukee Brewers owner Bud Selig meets with Don Fehr, the players’ labor leader, in a futile attempt to convince Fehr to accept the owners’ demands. With the deadline for an agreement at midnight on the 14th, there is virtually no hope that the two sides will agree. If the two sides reach the deadline without an agreement, the interleague schedule for next year will be wiped out, and a traditional schedule follow.

The Mets trade Rico Brogna to the Phillies for relievers Toby Borland and Ricardo Jordan. The first baseman, diagnosed with a form of spinal arthritis in 1991, proves to be a good acquisition for Philadelphia when the 27 year-old infielder spends 3+ seasons as an everyday player in the City of Brotherly Love.

Luman Harris dies in Pell City, AL at age 81. Harris coached the Colt .45s until he became manager late in the 1964 campaign. He lasts through the 1965 season with a 70-105 record. His best days are with Atlanta (1968-1973) where he skippers the first Western Division winners in 1969. 

Toni Stone first female to play professional baseball passes away

Toni Stone first female to play professional baseball passes away

1996 – Pat Hentgen of the Toronto Blue Jays edges Andy Pettitte of the New York Yankees for the Cy Young Award in the closest American League voting since 1972 when Gaylord Perry topped Wilbur Wood by six points. Hentgen (with a 20-10 mark), the major league leader in complete games, outpoints Pettitte (21-8) by the narrow margin of 110-104. Yankees closer Mariano Rivera finishes third in the ballot and receives one first-place vote.

The Cleveland Indians trade pitcher Julian Tavarez and infielders Jose Vizcaino and Jeff Kent to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for slugging third baseman Matt Williams.

Padres third baseman Ken Caminiti is selected as the fourth unanimous winner of the National League's Most Valuable Player award

Padres third baseman Ken Caminiti is selected as the fourth unanimous winner of the National League’s Most Valuable Player award

Texas Rangers outfielder Juan Gonzalez edges Alex Rodriguez of the Seattle Mariners by three votes to win the American League MVP Award. It is the tightest race for the award in the AL since 1960. Gonzalez batted .314 with 47 home runs and 144 RBI despite missing 28 games with an injury.

Texas Rangers outfielder Juan Gonzalez edges Alex Rodriguez of the Seattle Mariners by three votes to win the American League MVP Award. It is the tightest race for the award in the AL since 1960. Gonzalez batted .314 with 47 home runs and 144 RBI despite missing 28 games with an injury.

The Toronto Blue Jays and the Pittsburgh Pirates complete a nine-player swap with the Jays acquiring the second baseman they are looking for in 29-year-old Carlos Garcia. In addition, Toronto picks up outfielder Orlando Merced and reliever Dan Plesac. The Pirates receive six prospects, including C Craig Wilson, infielder Abraham Núñez and pitcher Jose Silva.

White Sox Sign Albert Belle: Reinsdorf's Bold Move

White Sox Sign Albert Belle: Reinsdorf’s Bold Move

1996 – Less than three weeks after major league owners voted 18-12 against ratification of baseball’s new collective bargaining agreement, owners vote again and this time approve it by a vote of 26-4. The landmark agreement brings interleague play to the regular season for the first time, as well as revenue sharing among owners and a payroll tax on players.

1996 – Schedules with interleague play are introduced for the first time. Houston will host three teams from the American League Central, including the Milwaukee Brewers who would switch to the National League Central Division in 1998. 

1996 – The Cubs sign shortstop Shawon Dunston, bringing him back to Wrigley Field, and free agent pitcher Sid Fernandez signs with Houston.

1996 – The Florida Marlins sign free agent OF Jim Eisenreich to a two-year contract.

1996 – John Bateman dies in Sand Spring, TX at age 56. The native Texan would enjoy a ten-year big-league career with a .230 batting average and 81 home runs. 

Two days after signing C Joe Girardi, the Yankees send back-up catcher Jim Leyritz to the Angels in exchange for minor leaguers Ryan Kane and Jeremy Blevins. Leyritz, the Yankee with the longest tenure – 5 years, 126 days – was vulnerable because of his $1.75 million yearly contract.

The new collective bargaining agreement is unanimously approved by the Players’ association executive committee, clearing the path for interleague play and guaranteeing no work stoppages until 2001.

Following his most productive season with the Oakland A’s, Terry Steinbach elects to take less money and return home. Like Dave Winfield, Paul Molitor and Jack Morris before him, the Minnesota veteran signs with Twins.

The Seattle Mariners acquire righty Scott Sanders from the Padres for lefty Sterling Hitchcock.

1996 – The Orioles sign free agent P Jimmy Key to a two-year contract and the Dodgers sign 3B Todd Zeile to a three-year contract.

1996 – The Rockies sign free agent C Kirt Manwaring to a two-year contract, the Blue Jays sign C Benito Santiago to a two-year contract and the Marlins sign P Alex Fernandez to a five-year deal.

The Tigers make their biggest trade since 1957, sending four players to Houston in exchange for five Astros. Detroit C Brad Ausmus, P Jose Lima, lefties C.J. Nitkowski and Trever Miller, and IF Daryle Ward go to the National League for OF Brian Hunter, IF Orlando Miller, and Ps Doug Brocail and Todd Jones, and a player to come later. Brocail, also involved in the 1994 12-player swap between San Diego and Houston, will be Detroit’s Opening Day pitcher in April.

The Reds sign free agent P Kent Mercker.

The Marlins sign veteran free agent relief pitcher Dennis Cook to a two-year contract.

Montreal reliever Mel Rojas signs with the Cubs for a three-year $13.75 million contract. With Ugueth Urbina waiting in the wings, the Expos found the expensive Rojas expendable.

Astros swap pitchers Todd Jones and Doug Brocail along with outfielder Brian Hunter and shortstop Orlando Miller to Detroit for pitchers Jose Lima, C.J. Nitkowski and Trever Miller along with catcher Brad Ausmus and first baseman Daryle Ward. Ausmus is the man Houston really wants but Lima and Ward eventually become major contributors. 

Astros swap pitchers Todd Jones and Doug Brocail along with outfielder Brian Hunter and shortstop Orlando Miller to Detroit for pitchers Jose Lima, C.J. Nitkowski and Trever Miller along with catcher Brad Ausmus and first baseman Daryle Ward. Ausmus is the man Houston really wants but Lima and Ward eventually become major contributors. 

1996 – The Yankees sign free agent P Mike Stanton to a three-year contract, the White Sox sign P Jaime Navarro to a four-year contract and the Phillies sign P Mark Portugal to a two-year contract.

1996 – The Marlins sign free agent OF Moises Alou to a five-year contract worth $25 million.

The Pirates trade IF Jeff King and SS Jay Bell to the Royals for 3B Joe Randa and pitchers Jeff Granger, Jeff Martin and Jeff Wallace.

The Blue Jays sign free agent P Roger Clemens (10-13) to a 3-year contract worth $24.75 million. The Red Sox’s last-minute offer falls short and The Rocket’s flirtation with the Yankees comes to naught. However, the Sox are successful in retaining Tim Naehring, who was minutes away from signing with Cleveland.

In other free agent news, the Cubs sign P Kevin Tapani to a 3-year contract and the Indians sign P Mike Jackson to a 2-year contract.

1996 – The Boston Red Sox sign veteran outfielder Shane Mack to a one-year deal. Mack played the last two seasons for the Yomiuri Giants.

The Tigers trade 2B Mark Lewis to the Giants for 1B Jesse Ibarra.

John Wettland signs with texas rangers

The Rangers sign free agent P John Wetteland to a four-year contract worth $23 million

The Red Sox sign P Chris Hammond, 5-8 last year with the Marlins.

David Wells signs a three-year $13.5 million contract with the Yankees.

Red Sox veteran Mike Greenwell signs a one-year contract to play for the Hanshin Tigers. The Sox had designated him for assignment on October 15th, so his leaving Boston after 10 years was inevitable.

Eddie Murray takes his Hall of Fame bat to the Anaheim Angels, agreeing to a one-year contract.

1996 – Outfielder Luis Gonzalez and pitcher Mike Magnante are signed to free agent deals. It’s the second go-round in Houston for the popular Gonzalez who, after leaving again, would find a home run stroke and blast 57 for Arizona in 2001 and muscle a bloop single off Mariano Rivera to beat the Yankees in Game Seven of the World Series. 

1996 – The Blue Jays send 1B John Olerud and his $5 million contract to the Mets for pitcher Robert Person. The move leaves 1B open for Joe Carter.

1996 – Pitcher Russ Springer is signed to a free agent contract. The righthanded reliever has two stints with the Astros (1997, 2004-2006), compiling an 8-9 record with three saves in Houston.

1996 – Infielders Pat Listach and Bill Spiers, along with pitcher Sid Fernandez, are signed as free agents. While Listach is slated to be the starting shortstop and Fernandez is expected to find a role in the starting rotation, it is the versatile Spiers who has the more lasting impact with the ballclub. 

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